Miss Virginia

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Virginia USA. For the American drama film, see Miss Virginia (film).
Miss Virginia
Formation1923
TypeBeauty pageant
HeadquartersRoanoke
Location
Membership
Miss America
Official language
English
Key people
Elaine Aikens, Mark Schreier, Nancy Lucy(Executive Director)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Miss Virginia competition is a scholarship pageant for women, with the titleholder representing Virginia in the Miss America pageant. The competition was founded in 1953 as a scholarship contest for young women, although women had represented Virginia in the Miss America pageant since the 1930s. Four Miss Virginia winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America, including former national titleholder Caressa Cameron.[1]

To compete in the Miss Virginia pageant, a contestant must first win one of many local competitions. Contestants may compete at the local and state level more than once, but having won a state title may only compete in the national Miss America competition one time. The state pageant is held in Roanoke, Virginia at the Roanoke Civic Center in June or July.[2][3]

During her reign, Miss Virginia travels over 40,000 miles across the state making appearances to further her social impact initiative, visit schools, and for the Miss America Organization's national Children's Miracle Network campaign.[3]

Dorcas Campbell from Farfield was Miss Virginia of 1963, won many singing contests, and was a very talented opera singer. Kristi Lauren Glakas, Miss Virginia 2005, is one of only seven women who have competed in the Miss America, Miss Teen USA, and Miss USA competitions. She was Miss Virginia Teen USA 1999 and Miss Virginia USA 2004, placing in the top ten at Miss Teen USA 1999 and was a non-finalist at Miss USA 2004.[4] Two other Miss Virginia titleholders later competed in the Miss USA pageant: Jennifer Pitts was Miss Virginia USA 2005 and Shannon DePuy was Miss Florida USA 1995.[4][5]

Carlehr Swanson of Charlottesville was crowned Miss Virginia 2024 on June 29, 2024, at the Berglund Center Auditorium in Roanoke, Virginia. She will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

  1. ^ Weil, Martin (2010-01-31). "Caressa Cameron, formerly Miss Virginia, wins Miss America 2010 title". Washington Post.
  2. ^ Moyer, Laura (1996-08-12). "Think Pageant Queens have it easy? Try keeping up with Miss Virginia". The Free Lance-Star.
  3. ^ a b "Chinah Helmandollar assumes title of Miss Virginia" (PDF) (Press release). Miss Virginia Organization. 2010-02-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-27.
  4. ^ a b Jones, Beth (2005-06-25). "Another tiara on the nightstand". The Roanoake Times. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02.
  5. ^ "Beauty Pageants Advance Careers". The Christian Science Monitor004.