Portsmouth has been chosen to host the 2011 Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio Teen USA pageant to be held the weekend of October 22nd at the Vern Riffe Center For the Arts (VRCFA) on the campus of Shawnee State University. There are seven local girls competing in this years pageants.

"We have about 11 of the past title holders coming back for this year’s pageant," Kim Bauer, Executive Director of the Portsmouth-Scioto County Visitors Bureau said. "We are excited to see a lot of the ladies come back to see what they have done with there life in the past ten years."

Bauer said as soon as the host hotel was announced for the pageant, her phone starts ringing wanted to know the dates of the pageant.

"Last year not only did we have the Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio Teen USA pageants, there were a couple of class reunions and swap days was going on at the same time. You could not have gotten a hotel room within a 45 mile radius of Scioto County," Bauer said.

In years past the Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio Teen USA pageants have been separated into two pageants. This year the pageants have been combined.

It's uncertain the economic impact the Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio Teen USA pageants have or have had on the Portsmouth area.

"To put an exact dollar amount on the impact it has had would almost be unbelievable. If anybody goes out of town for a weekend, a lot of times you do not realize how much money you are spending," Bauer said. "From the time they come into Scioto County, you are looking at gas, meals, incidentals, hotel and various other expenses."

Bauer said there are roughly 105 ladies from across the state coming in. Some of them will bring a contingency of 20-25 people, while other ladies may be traveling by themselves.

"Shortly after the ladies get there (Portsmouth) they start rehearsals. On Friday the ladies will be in rehearsals from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Between rehearsals, dress rehearsals, presentation rehearsals and you put your lunch and dinner in there it's an action packed day," Bauer said.

On Friday October 22 the presentation show will start at 8 p.m. in the main theater of the VRCFA. All of the contestants will go through the various stages of competition.

On Saturday, October 23 the final show will take place at 3 p.m. At the beginning of the final show the field of contestants will be narrowed down to the top 15, then narrowed down to the top 5 with a winner being crowned shortly after.

Miss Ohio USA Amanda Tempel and Miss Ohio Teen USA Bridget Linton will be on had to crown the winners.

For more information about the Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio Teen USA pageants visit www.missohiousa.com. For tickets to the show call the McKinley Box Office at 351-3600.