OCEAN CITY – Atlantic City no longer has the Miss America Pageant, but Ocean City will again be home to the Miss New Jersey Pageant, which is returning this year and bringing a popular parade with it.
Atlantic City was the home of the Miss America Pageant for the better part of a century. One of the most popular public aspects of hosting the event was its annual parade on the boardwalk. Contestants from across the United States would ride in cars and the spectators would cry out, “Show us your shoes!” Over the years it evolved into state pageant-winners wearing costumes and customizing their shoes.
Alas, the pageant left Atlantic City in 2005 and has had stints in Last Vegas and Connecticut. It came back briefly but left again.
Ocean City was the longtime host of the Miss New Jersey pageant, but it ended up moving to Atlantic City.
This year, it’s back.
The pageant that features competitors from across New Jersey will be at the Ocean City Music Pier. Preliminaries are 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 18 and 19, with the finals set for 8 p.m. Saturday, June 20.
The Miss New Jersey’s Teen Competition is at 1 p.m. that Saturday.
What should prove popular is the Miss New Jersey “Show Us Your Shoes” Parade scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 17.
Contestants will be riding in convertibles in costumes and ready to display their fancy footwear.
Belle Nicholas is the reigning Miss New Jersey. She is a friend to Ocean City. Nicholas joined Ocean City’s own royalty, Little Miss Ocean City Harper Juelg, Junior Miss Ocean City Arianna DiAntonio and Miss Ocean City Antonella DiAntonio, on the beach on New Year’s Day for the first dip in the ocean.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to do this as Miss New Jersey,” she told the Sentinel on New Year’s Day, trying to warm up after the chilly dip, “and how special is it to do it here in Ocean City?”
Nicholas said she enjoyed taking the dip with the Ocean City queens.
The good news is if she decides to test the waters in June, it will be warmer.
Atlantic and Cape May counties have been home to a number of Miss New Jersey winners over the years and they host multiple preliminary pageants, including Miss Cape May County, Miss Ocean View, Miss Avalon, Miss Seashore Line, Miss Stars and Stripes, Miss Southern Maritime, Miss Island Resort, Miss Coastal Shore and Miss Atlantic Shores.
Some of the pageants are for local contestants and others are open, allowing contestants from throughout the state.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
At top, Miss New Jersey Belle Nicholas, right, joins Ocean City’s queens to kick off First Day at the Beach on Jan. 1.