The lovely ladies have made their way to Vicksburg Mississippi for the 60th crowning of Miss Mississippi in the city.
All week long the women will prepare for the competition that will air to the public on Saturday, June 25, 2017. However, preliminaries begin on Wednesday with personal interviews.
“We are so grateful this year to have 44 amazing contestants from throughout the state of Mississippi,” said Jennie Simmons, with the pageant.
The women are selected for the Miss Mississippi Pageant by qualifying in local beauty pageants. They are judged based off of a personal interview, talent competition, swimsuit competition,
evening wear competition, and an on stage question.
Each contestant must also have a personal platform that she will promote if selected as the next Miss Mississippi.
“Each contestant just for stepping on that stage is going to get $1,300. That is not in addition to any of the private scholarships, competition scholarships, career scholarships that we give,” said Simmons.
The Miss Mississippi Pageant began in 1937 and has been held in Vicksburg since 1958. Four former Miss Mississippi winners have gone on to win Miss America.
Once she is crowned, Miss Mississippi will be prepped for the Miss America Pageant in Atlanta. If she does not win there, she will return to Mississippi to continue on as Miss Mississippi.
“It is a job, normally they travel 40 to 50 thousand miles a year meeting people, going to events and networking,” said Simmons.
You can find out more about the contestants in this years pageant HERE.
