Pageants to showcase Tennessee women
BY STACY LEISER • THE LEAF-CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
It’s the 10th anniversary of Clarksville becoming home to the Miss Tennessee USA and Miss Tennessee Teen USA pageants, in 1999.
For the 11th time next week, at Austin Peay State University’s 500-seat Concert Theater, the new Miss Tennessee USA and Miss Tennessee Teen USA will be crowned in Clarksville.
The preliminary pageants are 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, with the Teen finals at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and the Miss finals at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Clarksville’s own Rachel Smith, Miss USA 2007, will be one of the masters of ceremony for the pageant finals.
A new national titleholder from Tennessee also will be onstage, Stormi Henley. From Crossville, Henley was crowned Miss Teen USA July 31.
“She will be giving up her crown as Miss Tennessee Teen, but she will continue her reign as Miss Teen USA,” said Theresa Harrington, director of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Harrington said the positive impact of the pageants on Clarksville is enormous, bringing visitors in from all over Tennessee and beyond.
“We have 38 teens and 44 Miss (contestants). They are beautiful girls, several local girls,” Harrington said. “The pageants give us the opportunity to showcase our community.”
Tickets can be reserved by phone with a credit card or reserved and picked up in person by calling Jessica Goldberg at 245-4346, now through Sept. 30. After Sept. 30, tickets will not be sold until 5:30 p.m. Friday, one hour before the first pageant begins, Harrington said.
