The Ms. Florida Senior America pageant is coming to the Colony Cottage Recreation Center for the first time on Sunday, April 23.
The pageant encourages women 60 years and older to step out of their comfort zone and showcase the elegance of their age. Fourteen women from all over Florida, including Miami, Ocala, Gainesville and Lady Lake, aim to do just that on Sunday, April 23.
Guests are encouraged to arrive as early as 2:15 p.m. with the competition officially starting at 3 p.m. Tickets can be bought for $25 at the door in cash or check only, or they can be bought in advance for $22 at FLSA.Yapsody.com.
While waiting for the pageant to begin, guests can bid on a raffle. All proceeds will go to Haven, a nonprofit organization that provides safety for women and children who have experienced domestic violence and abuse.
Estee Lauder, a sponsor of this year’s pageant, will also have employees present to hand out free products and answer any questions about their cosmetics.
Once the pageant begins, contestants will vie for the crown throughout four sections of the show. Attempts to impress during interviews with the judges will be followed by dazzling the crowd with the evening gown section. The women will then be asked their philosophy of life.
The final section of the pageant gives the contestants a chance to demonstrate their many talents. From baton twirling to quilting, there is no end to what these women can do. After their final performances, this year’s Ms. Florida Senior America will be crowned.
Last year’s queen, Dr. Linda Succi, of the Village of Lynnhaven, remembers the feeling of having the crown placed on her head.
“It was so exciting,” said Succi. “Everything rises to a fever pitch because you’ve been working so hard for this one moment, and it’s finally happening.”
Succi was involved in pageants as a teenager, earning the title of Ms. Rhode Island long before she won Ms. Florida Senior America 2022.
However, not all queens were involved in pageantry before stepping on the stage. Village of Bonnybrook resident Terry Vece was a dancer and a certified medical assistant when she read about the pageant in a newspaper article. Her husband encouraged her to compete and she won Ms. Florida Senior America 2011.
Now, Vece is an administrator for the Florida pageant and an advocate for senior women everywhere.
“We try to show the younger generation that our generation is not to be forgotten, nor should we be counted out,” she said.
Holding with tradition, this year’s queen will be expected to involve herself with the community. Performing her talent at nursing homes and during parades are just some of the ways a queen is expected to advocate for her friends and neighbors.
For more information on this year’s pageant or to apply for next year, email Terry Vece at dancerclogger@gmail.com.