Miss Tennessee contestants make appearance at Rotary Club luncheon
JACKSON, Tenn. — The lights, the cameras, ready for all the action of Miss Tennessee 2018.
“I’m so excited to get the prelims started and just to see where the rest of the week’s going to go,” said Miss University of Tennessee Martin Morgan Martin.
Organizers say they have been planning the sights and sounds of the show since October.
“Every number is a different color scheme, so it’s a color scheme that kind of fits the costuming and the music,” said Jimmy Exum, president and producer of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant.
Exum says this year the music will incorporate a tribute to James Bond.
“What I do is I try to look at our audience and have a piece of music for each age group,” Exum said.
He says Miss Tennessee is the only state competition that includes a live orchestra.
“Because there’s nothing like live music,” Exum said.
The 37 contestants also made an appearance at the weekly Jackson Rotary Club luncheon Wednesday, getting the opportunity to introduce themselves and mingle with members of the community.
“I love the outdoors. I am a duck hunter, a turkey hunter, a skeet shooter,” Martin said.
The ladies shared how they’ve prepared.
“Lots of practice, lots of tilapia and green beans,” said Miss Tennessee Soybean Festival Katie Hodges.
And they shared their excitement for the upcoming competitions.
“And the earrings, oh my gosh, you’re going to die,” Hodges said.
Miss Tennessee 2017 Caty Davis says this weekend is bitter sweet for her, having visited 150 schools over the past year.
“But of course my favorite part is the children,” Davis said. “Encouraging to them respect their teachers, respect their education, their dreams, the people around them, and, of course, themselves.”
Spoiler alert. Exum also says the finale is sure to be a crowd pleaser, with a performance from the Macedonia Baptist Church Choir. Wednesday’s competition started at 8:00 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
Tickets for all nights are available at the box office.
