Miss Ohio Parade delights crowd
The Miss Ohio Parade was a wet one, with contestants under umbrellas or inside convertibles with the car tops up Sunday at 2 p.m. as the area got much needed rain.
Parade Grand Marshal Heather Wells Barrett, Miss Ohio 2013, waved from inside her car.
Baton twirlers braved the rain as well as members of the Mansfield Shrine Club who are an annual parade favorite in their tiny cars.
Condrea Cannada, vocal director and a featured vocalist at the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, helped the driver of a Shrine Club car lift his tiny vehicle when the motor fell and hit the pavement along the parade route on Park Avenue West in front of the Renaissance Theatre, much to the delight of the crowd.
Despite the rain, the parade had a large crowd of spectators lining the route.
The parade came east on Park Avenue West, starting at the 5-way light at Bowman Street and Marion Avenue, and contestants in both the Miss Ohio, Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen Program and Little Princesses made their way to the Richland Carrousel Park in historic and colorful sports cars to sign autographs and take photographs with the public.
Miss Ohio Elizabetta (Betta) Nies of Cincinnati, who gives up her crown Saturday night when the new Miss Ohio 2023 is crowned, was busy signing autographs on her 5-by-7-inch photographs.
Nies, a classical pianist, was among the Top 10 semi finalists at the Miss America Scholarship Program.
Nies, who turns 20 on June 18, the day after she crowns the new Miss Ohio, said while it is bittersweet to give up her crown, she is excited for another young lady to have the opportunities she has had to be the state titleholder and compete at Miss America.
Serving as Miss Ohio has been 'so, so wonderful'
"It's been so, so wonderful," she said of being Miss Ohio.
"After this I'm going to be putting all my scholarships to work. I will be going back to school to double major in marketing and computer science," she said. From there she will pursue a career and build on everything she's learned during her year as Miss Ohio.
Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen Cassandra Kurek, who was the 2019 Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival Princess, will also give up her crown this week to a new titleholder.
She braved the wind and rain to wave and talk at paradegoers along the route.
Miss North Coast Madison Miller, 23, of Coshocton, was signing autographs at the Richland Carrousel Park in dry conditions as the carousel music played and people rode the carousel figurines behind her.
She said she hung out the window of a car during the parade, saying she was not going to let a little rain dampen her spirits.
Veterans from the Honor Flight program came to Mansfield to support her as her social impact initiative at Miss Ohio is the Veteran Narrative: Real Heroes. Real Stories.
She is making her third trip to the Miss Ohio stage this week.
Miller said she has wanted to be Miss Ohio since she was 4 years old when she googled Miss Ohio. A pianist, she said she wants to "change the world."
Miss Rock & Roll City Makenzie Regedanz, 24, of Celina, said she is looking forward to performing her talent on the Miss Ohio stage. A singer, she will sing, "Think of Me" from "Phantom of the Opera."
A new music instructor at Mansfield City Schools' Malabar Intermediate this fall, she recently graduated from Ohio Northern University. It is her first time competing at Miss Ohio.
She said she can't wait to teach and is looking forward to this week's competition.
Miss Maple City Olivia Kentner, 23, of Wapakoneta, said she had so much fun at the parade. She was holding her decorated "moon shoe," a parade tradition, representing her hometown and the first astronaut Neil Armstrong to walk on the moon.
Her third time at the Miss Ohio competition, Kentner, a singer, said she is staying at Robin and Theresa Jakubick's home this week and enjoying her time with them.
Robin Jakubick said he and his wife are big fans of the Miss Ohio program and have been active for many years with the program, which promotes scholarships for young women.
Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen Scholarship Program is Wednesday night
Miss Ohio Week includes the Miss Ohio’s Outstanding Teen show and crowning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, at the Renaissance Theatre. Twelve teens will compete for the title. The winner receives a $2,500 scholarship and the opportunity to compete at the national pageant.
First Miss Ohio preliminary is June 15
The Miss Ohio first preliminary night will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15; preshow begins at 7:05 p.m. All portions of the competition will take place at the Renaissance Theatre, 138 Park Avenue West. The emcee will be Miss Ohio 2003, Janelle Couts.
The second night of Miss Ohio preliminary competition at the Miss Ohio stage will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 16; preshow begins at 7:05 p.m. Miss Ohio 2008, Karissa Martin, will serve as emcee.
On Saturday, June 17, it's the Miss Ohio finals and a new Miss Ohio will be crowned. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.; preshow at 7:05 p.m. The emcee will be Miss Ohio 1989, Sarah Evans Tackett. The winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship and the opportunity to compete at Miss America. Oliveri said $48,100 in scholarships will be awarded at Miss Ohio.
The Miss Ohio Coronation Party will be at the Westbrook County Club after the show. Tickets are available for $34.
Tickets to Miss Ohio shows are available at Rentickets.org.
Tickets for Miss Ohio Outstanding Teen on June 14 are $35, general admission. For both nights of Miss Ohio preliminary competitions, tickets are $35, reserved seating. Tickets for the Miss Ohio Finals are $57, reserved seating.
People can vote for the Miss Ohio People's Choice by going to missohio.org and voting from the website for a candidate to be in the Top 10 on June 18.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: It's Miss Ohio time this week at the Renaissance Theatre
