VERO BEACH — A very special element of the 2011 Hibiscus Festival is the Miss Hibiscus Pageant, sponsored by Merrill Lynch-Nelson Morgan Wealth Management. Girls interested in becoming a contestant, their friends and relatives are invited to a free special event 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, February 20 at the Heritage Center in historic downtown Vero Beach. The Beautiful Life of Girls (BLOG) event will include a fashion show by Dillard’s, refreshments, a raffle and swag bags. This event will offer prospective candidates (Indian River County residents, ages 16-20) the opportunity to learn hair, make up, speech, poise and dress do’s and don’ts. Also, tips on dressing for success, communication coaching, what pageant judges expect during the Pageant’s interview process, plus a special appearance by some male teens from the area.
Pageant applications will be available, along with the opportunity to register for one of five $100 scholarships which will cover application expenses. The scholarships are courtesy of sponsor Merrill Lynch-Nelson Morgan Wealth Management. The Miss Hibiscus committee will be on hand to answer any questions about the application process. Deadline for registration is Friday, March 25.
The Miss Hibiscus Festival, which will be held on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach, is the first of a two day event of festivities. Miss Hibiscus 2011 will preside over the Hibiscus Festival activities on Saturday, April 16 and will represent historic downtown Vero Beach throughout the year.
The winner of the Miss Hibiscus Pageant will win a grand prize of $1,000 cash and an array of gift certificates from local businesses as well as a Vero Beach bracelet from Leigh Jewelers. Second place winner will earn $500 cash plus prizes and third place will win $300 cash plus prizes. Again this year will be a “Miss Congeniality” and “Miss Photogenic” prize categories. The tiara for Miss Hibiscus is courtesy of John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry and flower bouquets from a local florist. “Miss Congeniality” will win a Vero Beach watch courtesy of John Michael Matthews Fine Jewelry and “Miss Photogenic” will win a photography shoot by Island Images Professional Photography.
Community sponsors include Ocean Oaks Dental Group, The Color Experience-Paul Mitchell Focus Salon, Cindy Goetz, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and Dillard’s. A special thanks to the Heritage Center.
The Hibiscus Festival is presented by the City of Vero Beach to benefit Main Street Vero Beach and Vero Heritage, Inc.
Visit www.HibiscusFestival.org for Festival information, or call Elizabeth at 772-778-8800 for additional Pageant information.