Miss Alabama Pageant back June 5-8 at Samford

The Miss Alabama Pageant returns June 5-8 to the Leslie Wright Fine Arts Center at Samford University.

This year’s theme is Alabama 200 and is an official registered event with the Bicentennial Committee in Montgomery. All featured music will have Alabama ties or be by Alabama artists, including Lionel Richie, Martha and the Vandellas and Taylor Hicks.

Forty-seven women, ages 19-25, will be competing for the title of Miss Alabama 2019, with the winner advancing to the Miss America pageant in September. Participants will be divided into three groups and rotate between on-stage interviews, evening wear and talent over the three nights of preliminaries.

“Guests can see a different group every night doing something different,” said Nan Teninbaum, president and executive director of the pageant. 

Miss Alabama 2018 Callie Walker will be performing each of the four nights, as will newly crowned Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen Zoe Champion. Former Miss Alabama winners will serve as emcees each night. 

Teninbaum said the event always draws a large crowd, many of whom don’t have any connections to the participants.

“People can come out and see some wonderful talent,” she said. “Anyone that comes will be thoroughly entertained.”

Talent counts as 50% of the score, and Teninbaum said all of the participants are talented, smart and do a wonderful job. 

“I’m in awe of them being able to juggle school work, preparing their talent and doing community services for their social impact causes,” she said. 

More than $100,000 in scholarships will be given to all the participants. The organization also makes in-kind scholarships available from colleges throughout Alabama. 

“Only one girl will win, but they all walk away with scholarship money,” Teninbaum said. “They graduate college debt-free because of this program.”

The top 12 contestants will be featured in Saturday night’s event. Tickets for all four nights, or individual nights, can be purchased at tickets.samford.edu.