Miss America 2008 to co-host 71-year-old statewide competition on June 18 at Staten Island showplace

NEW YORK (June 11, 2011)– New York City will roll out the welcome mat on Monday for the first time in history as home of the celebrated Miss New York Pageant.

Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010

Mayor Michael Bloomberg will welcome the 22 contestants of the upcoming statewide pageant on the steps of City Hall at 1:30 p.m..

The 2011 Miss New York Pageant, just one step away from the Miss America Pageant, will be hosted on June 18 by Kirsten Haglund, Miss America 2008, and Leigh-Taylor Smith, Miss New York 2008, in Staten Island’s historic St. George Theatre.

The pageant, a 71-year-old tradition, had been a fixture in the upstate towns of Olean and Watertown, prior to running in Long Island and Albany. The St. George Theatre has been chosen by pageant operators as the new, permanent venue of the annual event.

The Miss America Organization is the leading scholarship provider for women in the United States, awarding over $45 million each year.

Following their meeting with the mayor, the contestants will ride the Staten Island Ferry to the “Borough of Parks,” where they will be greeted at a reception hosted by Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro.

That evening, they will enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by hoteliers Richard and Lois Nicotra, and the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island. A highlight of the evening will be the 2011 Mr. New York Contest, a fund-raising gala for the Miss New York Organization and the Empire State Educational Scholarship Fund.

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