Miss America contestants wave to the crowd during the opening.
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The sashes have been steamed, the hair teased and the routines polished.
At the age of 96, Sunday’s Miss America Pageant features at least one first that would have been unimaginable during its 1950s and 60s heyday, when the annual contest was a major national event on par with the Oscars film awards or football’s Super Bowl.
The next Miss America will be crowned during Sunday night’s nationally televised finale.
Among the 52 representatives of the 50 USA states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, contestants from Michigan, Washington D.C., Arkansas, Maryland, Ohio and Tennessee were all poised for advantage at Sunday’s finale, having prevailed at preliminary judging in categories such as talent and fitness.
One of them will have their lives changed forever, and receive a $50,000 scholarship.
Miss Ohio, Alice Magoto, who is the youngest contestant at 18 years old, had one shoe paying homage to catfish while her other shoe depicted a riverboat with paddle wheels as she dedicated her ensemble to the Ohio River. Burgess won the talent competition by singing The Eagles’ “Desperado”.
Last year’s victor, reigning Miss America, Betty Cantrell – the former Miss Georgia – will crown her successor at competition’s end.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – Contestants vying for the Miss America title have displayed some fancy footwear along a New Jersey boardwalk.
The outgoing Miss America, Betty Cantrell, will place the crown on the head of her successor Sunday night. Judges include Ciara, Mark Cuban, Gabby Douglas, Laura Marano, Sara Foster, Cole Swindell and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes.
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