Pageant strides into Pinellas

ST. PETERSBURG -- The woman who represents the Sunshine State in the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City in September will get her crown in St. Petersburg.

The Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, based in Orlando for 65 of its 68 years, will take place June 22-28 in the Mahaffey Theater at Bayfront Center.

Mary Sullivan, the pageant's executive director and president, arranged for last year's event to take place in Miami, where she lives. The event was held in Gainesville the year before.

"We did understand that it was more beneficial to the pageant if we could relocate it to a more central location," she said. "We're very excited about St. Petersburg."

City officials said the pageant might stick around for a while.

"The plan is to have it here on a long-term basis," said Jacqulyn Schuett, the city's event marketing manager.

The event should bring thousands to St. Petersburg for the competition and will showcase St. Petersburg landmarks and charitable organizations, she said.

Katherine "Katy" Carson, the reigning Miss Florida, will appear with pageant and city officials in a news conference at the theater today.

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