Victorian Pin-Up Pageant director Tracey Spencer, from Lana-Rose fashion and Events, said Heritage Festival was a great fit for the competition which offered fun fashion, such as rockabilly and vintage-driven glamour-billy.

"We're about celebrating fashion and music from the era but not the cultural norms from the '50s," Ms Spencer said.

"We're big on promoting inclusivity - we've done that from the start and used to get a brow beating for it but it's really popular now. No matter the background of the entrant, we've stuck to our guns and celebrate all bodies - all abilities, identities and ethnicities.

"I love Ballarat Heritage Festival, it's always been a big favourite of mine. We can celebrate the city's sustainable heritage building and it's a great promotion of Ballarat - Ballarat does vintage so well."

IN OTHER NEWS

Pin-up was a popular feature in the now-defunct Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival. This is the competition's second year as part of Ballarat Heritage Festival.

Emerging from pandemic conditions, the Ballarat-based Victorian Pin-Up Pageant is starting to expand with a foray into Parkes' Elvis festival for a New South Wales title last month . Winners from the past two years have the chance to compete for Australasian crows in New Zealand later this year.

Categories on show in Ballarat this weekend also include geek-a-billy, which tends to be DC Comics and Harry Potter-inspired, the punk and gothic flair of psycho-billy and teamwork in couple-billy.

The Sugar Showgirls' family-friendly burlesque and cabaret act will add extra vintage vibes and music to the event.

Victorian Pin-Up pageant action is at Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute on Saturday from noon.

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