NYC's Brighton Beach grandmother beauty pageant celebrates its 25th year

At 89, Mara Goldshtein has the shoes, the sparkle and the stage presence of a beauty queen.

The Holocaust survivor is a three-time crown holder in the Your Highness Grandmother Beauty Pageant, an annual Brighton Beach, New York City, tradition that celebrates grandmothers through elaborate costumes, performances and a jury made up of grandfathers.

"You feel alive. You don't feel that you are already very old," she told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger. "I am very happy that I can do something."

Goldshtein was a child during World War II and has vivid memories of fleeing the Nazis from her homeland in Moldova.

"Many people died on the barge and they threw them in the Caspian Sea," she said.

Despite the trauma of her childhood, Goldshtein has remained active throughout her life. She spent decades working as a home attendant before retiring two years ago and is also a graduate of the NYPD's Citizens Police Academy.

Her preparation for the pageant includes trying on the elaborate Firebird costume she wore when she won last year, along with a second look featuring a flower crown and traditional Moldovan dress.

"I told them, I think I will do a shock for everybody. This was a shock," she said of her winning Firebird number.

Goldshtein speaks half a dozen languages, including Yiddish, Hebrew, French and Romanian.

She credits staying involved in her community, along with a daily cup of herbal tea, as part of her approach to aging.

"It's very very healthy, ginger and lemon," she said.

Her son, Daniel, drove her to a dress rehearsal ahead of Sunday's pageant, which is marking its 25th year.

The event is organized by Raisa Chernina, executive director of the Be Proud Foundation, as a way to combat loneliness among older adults.

"Call them today. And honor them. Call and ask, 'How are you?' It's most important," Chernina said, before she got to her feet and began cheering the contestants like a dance mom.

During rehearsal, contestants took turns performing onstage while others cheered them on from the wings. Though they compete for the crown, the women have also built friendships over the years.

"We love each other, we talk to each other by telephone, we see each other," Goldshtein said. "So many years, you start to be like a family."

The Your Highness Grandmother Beauty Pageant will take place Sunday, Oct. 25, beginning at 4 p.m. at Tatiana Restaurant on the Brighton Beach Boardwalk.

The celebration honors the beauty, wisdom and enduring spirit of grandmothers.

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