Twelve Southwest Florida Women Set to Compete for Miss Florida Title

Pageant Winner to Represent Florida at the 2017 Miss America Pageant

Lakeland, FL (June 14, 2016) – Forty-eight preliminary pageant winners from across Florida will be competing in the 81st Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant beginning June 26 at the Lakeland Center’s Youkey Theatre in Lakeland, FL.

The Miss Florida Pageant is a preliminary competition to the Miss America Pageant, which is the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women and one of nation’s largest achievement programs. On July 2 the newly crowned MISS FLORIDA will be named and she will represent the Florida at the 2017 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, and will travel the state promoting her personal platform. Miss Florida also serves as a state ambassador for MISS AMERICA’s national platform partner, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and as an official spokesperson for protection and preservation of America’s Everglades.

MaryKatherine Fechtel, Miss Florida 2015, won her title last June when she competed with forty-seven other young women for the opportunity to represent the Sunshine State. MaryKatherine competed in the 2016 Miss America Pageant and she was named a Top Ten Finalist and Preliminary Swimsuit winner receiving an additional $8,000 in scholarships.

Forty-eight preliminary pageants have been held across the state since November, with the winners receiving a coveted invitation to compete for the Miss Florida Crown. The following are the local contestants that will compete in Lakeland, FL on June 28-July 2:

Jenai Ferguson, Boynton Beach,             Miss Miami

Kaitlyn Day, Coral Springs                       Miss Broward County

Stephanie Almeida, Doral                        Miss Florida international University

Crystal Raquel Ruiz, Homestead            Miss Miami-Dade

Ashley Louise Neubauer, Homestead    Miss Homestead

Meagan Cartaya, Homestead                  Miss City Beautiful

Katherine Archer, Key Biscayne             Miss Coral Gables

Megan Price, LaBelle                                Miss Boca Raton

Stephanie Capon, Miami                         Miss Florida Citrus

Amber Dawn Butler, Miami                    Miss Florida Everglades

Danielle Ball, Wellington                        Miss Palm Beach County

Mariluz Cook, West Palm Beach           Miss Greater Fort Lauderdale

 

Schedule of Events:

Meet the Contestants Event

Saturday 6/25 – 11:00 a.m.

 

Miss Florida Preliminary Competitions

Tuesday 6/28, Wednesday 6/29, Thursday 6/30 – 7:30 p.m.

 

Miss Florida and Miss Florida Outstanding Teen Final Competitions

Saturday 7/2  4:00 p.m. Miss Florida Outstanding Teen Finals

8:00 p.m. Miss Florida Finals

Media Credential Registration for the 2016 Miss Florida Pageant is now open. Please RSVP to Kelly Rote or Al Snow with your title, media outlet represented, number of credentials requested and any special requests (photography credential, one-on-one interview requests, etc.) and your request will be confirmed. Credentials may be picked up on-site at the Lakeland Center during pageant week.

Miss Florida Media Contacts:

Kelly Rote  Al Snow

[email protected]    [email protected]

863-551-4707                                  863-551-4718

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