Bloomington-Normal to host Miss Illinois USA Pageant

Posted on November 19, 2015

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – The Miss Illinois USA pageant will be held in Bloomington-Normal in 2016.

Reigning Miss Illinois Zena Malak was on hand at the Uptown Normal Marriot Thursday afternoon to make the official announcement.

“It will be held on Labor Day weekend of 2016,” said Malak. “We’re just so excited. We can’t wait for Bloomington-Normal to be our new home.”

The event will take place inside Illinois State University’s Braden Auditorium. Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Crystal Howard expected about 1,000 people to attend.

“But it is more than that. We have the opportunity to host a prestigious event that prides itself on encouraging young women to gain self-awareness, self-confident, and greater social awareness,” Howard said.

John Vannatta, president of VANBROS and Associates, which organizes the pageant, said the Convention & Visitors Bureau put together an “amazing” package to help sell the Twin Cities.

“We love the location, the feel of the community,” said Vannatta. “We truly believe that Bloomington-Normal can be not just a two year venue, a three year venue, for the Miss Illinois USA Pageant, but we hope it can be a permanent home.”

The pageant is expected to have an economic impact of about $205,000.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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