Renton is once again hosting the Miss Washington Scholarship Pageant.
The 19 contestants will stay at the Holiday Inn on Grady Way; local Renton car dealer Brad Brotherton is the prime sponsor.
The pageant itself is held at the 800-seat Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien. However, the Miss Washington organizers would like to move the event to Renton, possibly to Lindbergh High School.
The winner goes on to compete in the Miss America pageant as Miss Washington.
The official arrival and welcoming of the contestants is 1 p.m. Sunday at the Tea Palace in the Highlands, the new sponsor for that part of the week-long activities. Mayor Denis Law will welcome the contestants at the public event.
Interviews with each contestant are done at the Holiday Inn, leading up to the pageant preliminary on July 9 and the finale at 7 p.m. July 10.
Tuesday, the contestants will visit the Renton Farmers Market. But beyond that visit and the welcoming visit, they will be busy out of sight with pageant business and touring the Federal Reserve Bank in Renton and Children’s Hospital in Seattle.
“We consider Renton to be the home of the pageant,” said Mike Miller, who is a board member of the Miss Washington organization. His wife Peggy is the executive director of Miss Washington Scholarship Organization. They live in Puyallup.
The Millers are looking at venues in Renton for the pageant. Lindbergh is a possibility because its stage area is being remodeled and the theater will have seating for about 1,000. Hazen was considered, but the 600 seats aren’t enough for the pageant, Peggy Miller said.
The Millers held the Miss Washington Teen pageant at the IKEA Performing Arts Center at Renton High School. It has about 525 seats.
“Renton has been such a wonderful host,” Mike Miller said.
Renton doesn’t have a local pageant that leads up to Miss Washington. Miss Auburn will compete; that city has one of the largest local pageants in the state.
The Miss Washington pageant originated in the late 1940s or early 50s, Mike Miller said.
Pageant details
What: The Miss Washington Scholarship Pageant
Where: Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 S. 152nd St., Burien
When: July 9 and 10. Final competition starts at 7 p.m. on July 10.
Tickets: Depending on ticket package, prices range from $100 to $225. Individual tickets for the final competition are $35. Tickets are available at the organization’s Web site, by calling 360-280-0484 or by e-mail at tickets@misswashington.org.
