Contestants wanted for Miss Mercer County
By Daniel Arens
In the aftermath of the first North Dakotan to be crowned Miss America, there are hopes for a new passion in pageants at the local level.
There will be another Miss Mercer County crowned for the upcoming year. However, one major change is in place from the previous two years the local pageant has run: this year’s contest will be held in November rather than January. Specifically, the pageant will be held Saturday, Nov. 25.
“I know that’s a strange weekend,” Justine Wiedrich said, “but we’ve been trying to find the best day to get college-age contestants involved while they’re in the area.”
Wiedrich, who first developed a local pageant in the county for the 2015-16 year after her daughter Delanie was crowned Miss North Dakota, said her primary hope is to get more interest from young women in the competition.
“So far our biggest challenge over the three years has been getting contestants,” Justine Wiedrich said. “Our businesses are very generous in supporting the pageant, and they want to give out scholarships to the girls.”
