Miss Arkansas USA

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Arkansas.
Miss Arkansas USA
Formation1952
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersShawnee
Location
Membership
Miss USA
Official language
English
Key people
John M. Vannatta
Jason Vannatta
Jennifer Vannatta-Fisher
WebsiteOfficial website

Miss Arkansas USA, previously known as Miss Arkansas Universe,[1][2] is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state of Arkansas in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. The pageant is directed by Vanbros and Associates.[3][4][5][6]

Arkansas's most successful placement was in 1982, when Terri Utley was crowned Miss USA. The most recent placement was Mackenzie Hinderberger in 2023 who placed in the Top 20. Eight Miss Arkansas USA titleholders were former Miss Arkansas Teen USA titleholders who competed at Miss Teen USA. The longest reigning titleholder was Haley Rose Pontius in 2020, having held the title for 18 months, while the shortest titleholder was Stephanie Barber in 2021, having held the title for 10 months and 18 days.

The state pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2002 to 2007 before becoming part of the Vanbros organization, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. In 2018, Vanbros chose Fort Smith, Arkansas as the new host city of the pageant. Other host cities for the pageant have included Bentonville, Little Rock, Magnolia, and West Memphis.[7][8][9]

The current Miss Arkansas USA is Madeline Bohlman of Fayetteville who was crowned on April 14, 2024 at the OCCC Performing Arts Center in Oklahoma City. She will represent Arkansas at Miss USA 2024.

  1. ^ "Pageant Winners". Hope Star. April 3, 1973. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "March 24". The Courier News. March 24, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Prudenti, Richard Dean (April 25, 2007). "Pageant Company Selects Bentonville For Events". The Morning News. Retrieved April 26, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "To Perform". El Dorado Daily News. April 4, 1967. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Named at ASU". Northwest Arkansas Times. May 6, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Miss Universe for State to Be Named". Northwest Arkansas Times. February 18, 1971. p. 2. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "To Perform". El Dorado Daily News. April 4, 1967. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Named at ASU". Northwest Arkansas Times. May 6, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Miss Universe for State to Be Named". Northwest Arkansas Times. February 18, 1971. p. 2. Retrieved August 20, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.