Miss North Carolina shows off her shoes in a previous 'Show Us Your Shoes' parade in Atlantic City. After seven long years, the Miss America pageant is returning home to Atlantic City — the seaside resort where the pageantry began back in 1921.
In celebration of the return, the Miss America Organization and Atlantic City Alliance is inviting everyone to participate in the festivities by submitting “decked out, fabulous DIY shoe creations” for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Miss America event.
The “Show Us Your Shoes” parade — being held on the Atlantic City Boardwalk on Sept. 14 — has been a Miss America tradition since the 1970s.
“The shoe tradition began around the 1970s when groups of viewers would dress up like Miss America and position themselves on balconies along the parade route,” said parade producer John Best. “Many times the contestants were rehearsing for long hours, then would come out for the parade.”
Because the girls were tired from practicing, many of them would either don bedroom slippers or wear no shoes while riding in the convertibles.
“They needed a break and were wearing bedroom slippers,” Best said. “The guests could look into the cars and could see that the girls weren’t wearing any shoes, so they started shouting ‘Show us your shoes.’”
This chant caused the contestants to raise their feet so the viewers on ground level could also see what they were wearing on their feet.
“So, each year, the new contestants started dressing up their shoes and it became a tradition,” Best said. “Now, one of our main goals is to carry on those traditions.”
While the pageant was held in Las Vegas, there were no parades in conjunction with the pageant.
“One year, there was a ‘shoe walk’ through a casino, but that was it,” Best said. “It’s a big part of the whole Atlantic City experience. We’re coming back in a big way.”
And you, the fans, can get in on the excitement by creating your own decorative shoes.
Jene’ Luciani — nationally acclaimed fashion journalist, style expert, tastemaker, TV personality, spokesperson and best-selling author — will serve as a judge for the shoe contest.
“Who doesn’t love shoes and I love Atlantic City, I’ve been going there all my life, so I thought it would be fun to be a judge,” Luciani said.
A former Miss America contestant shows off her shoes. When judging the entries, Luciani said she will be looking for creativity.
“I’ll be looking for someone who’s thinking outside the shoebox,” she said. “That’s what the (Miss America) contestants will be doing. I’d love to see how outrageous and avant-garde people can get.”
Those interested in entering the contest should submit their creations by Sept. 1.
The grand-prize winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to Miss America weekend, including luxury overnight accommodations for two at an Atlantic City casino resort hotel, two VIP tickets to the “Show Us Your Shoes” parade on Sept. 14, two tickets to the Miss America pageant on Sept. 15 and a $500 gift certificate for a pair of Gucci shoes.
For full contest details and to enter a photo of your shoes, go to atlanticcitynj.com/showusyourshoes.aspx.
Contact staff writer Kelly Roncace at 856-686-3647 or kroncace@southjerseymedia.com.
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