UNDERSTANDING THE COMPETITION SEASON

This information is for ALL Miss Ohio Local Competitions for the 2025-2026 Season, also known as the Miss America 2027 Competition Cycle.

Miss Ohio Locals start July 2025 and end March 8, 2026. These locals will lead to the Miss Ohio 2026 State Competition in June 2026, which will then lead to the Miss America 2027 National Competition in September 2026.

While the competition process remains the same as last season, the registration and information submission process has changed.

AGE ELIGIBILITY

If you were born between June 18, 1998, and June 17, 2007, you will compete as a
MISS CONTESTANT.  You will be between 18 and 27 as of the State Competition on June 17, 2026.

If you were born between June 18, 2008, and June 17, 2012, you will compete as a
TEEN CONTESTANT.  You will be between 14 and 18 as of the State Competition on June 17, 2026.

If you were born between June 18, 2007, and June 17, 2008, you may CHOOSE to compete as either a TEEN or a MISS CONTESTANT.  You will be 18 as of the State Competition on June 17, 2026.  Once chosen, you may NOT switch during the Local Season.

If your birthdate falls between June 18, 1998, and June 17, 2012, please enter your birthdate below to determine if you are eligible to be a MISS or TEEN contestant.  

PHASES OF COMPETITION

MISS and TEEN Contestants will compete in the following FIVE phases of competition.

• Private Interview
• On-Stage Conversation
• Health & Fitness
• Talent/HERStory
• Evening Gown

PRIVATE INTERVIEW

The Private Interview with 4-7 judges will last TEN(10) minutes.  You will be required to submit a one-page fact sheet, a one-page Community Service Initiative Statement, and a Headshot photo.  The specific details, samples, and templates, and will be provided.

ON-STAGE CONVERSATION

Each contestant will be asked one question about their Community Service Initiative and will have 30 seconds to answer.

HEALTH & FITNESS

The Miss America Organization is partnering with the American Heart Association and Rebel Athletic in bringing back the Health & Fitness Phase of Competition.

ALL Contestants are required to provide and wear a pre-approved outfit from the Rebel Athletic Miss America Collection for the Health & Fitness competition. A variety of outfit combinations are available, starting at $80 for the set.

Contestants will move to a pre-blocked pattern for 20 to 30 seconds. 

TALENT / HERSTORY

Contestants will need to perform a Talent or HerStory presentation live on stage for up to 90 seconds.  Talent choices must be on the Miss America-approved talent list.

EVENING GOWN

The evening gown is the contestant's choice.  Everyone will walk a pre-blocked pattern for 30-45 seconds.

COMPETITION RULES AND EVALUATION PROCESS

Click the link below to download the Competition Rules and Evaluation Process details. The document outlines the process and specific requirements for each phase of competition, as well as what the judges are looking for.

DOWNLOAD - Full Competition Rules and Evaluation Process

 

MISS AMERICA REQUIREMENTS

The Miss America Organization requires all contestants to complete the following steps.

STEP 1 - REGISTER FOR THE SEASON

Each contestant must register with the Miss America Organization before competing in their first local pageant for the 2025-2026 season.  There is a once-per-season fee of $49.99.

STEP 2 - DELEGATE AGREEMENT

Once you register, you will receive a "Delegate Agreement Overview" email with instructions and a video on completing the Delegate Agreement.  You will also receive a separate email with a link to complete and electronically sign the Delegate Agreement. 

For contestants under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian will be required to complete and sign the online contract. 

As part of the contract, you will need to provide proof of age, citizenship, and geographical eligibility by either residing, attending school (college/university), or working in Ohio.

A copy of the completed Delegate Agreement will be emailed to you. Save this email, because you will need to submit the completed Agreement to the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program.


STEP 3 - REGISTER FOR A LOCAL COMPETITION

You will receive an email with a link to "Join a Local Competition".   Once you have decided which local to enter, you will need to use the link to register for the specific Local Competition.

STEP 4 - GO RED FOR WOMEN INITIATIVE

The Miss America Organization and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness and funds for Women’s Health and Scholarships.  Each contestant is required to raise $30 through online donations for each local competition entered.

Once you complete the Delegate Agreement, you will receive an email with instructions to create a SpotFund Campaign. WAIT until you register for a Local Competition before creating the SpotFund Campaign.

This email contains a unique link specifically for you, so DO NOT delete this email!  You will need the link to create SpotFund Campaigns.

All funds raised for the American Heart Association must be done through the specific Spotfund fundraising process.  Any funds raised outside the specific Spofund campaign will not count toward the $30 per Local requirement. 

GETTING STARTED

To get started this season, click the link below to go to the Miss America Registration Site. 

GO TO - MISS AMERICA REGISTRATION

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL OHIO LOCALS

Once you have completed the Miss America Requirements, you will need to complete the following one-time steps to be eligible to compete in your first Local Competition this season. 

SCHOLARSHIP RULES & REGULATIONS

Local programs will award scholarships to the new MISS and TEEN Titleholders.  In many cases, the local may also award scholarships for runner-up positions, phase-of-competition scholarships, etc. 

Contestants are required to complete and electronically sign the online Scholarship Rules and Regulations document.  You only need to submit the signed Scholarship Rules and Regulations once, and it will apply to all local scholarships awarded during the 2025-2026 Local Season.

If you are under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian will be required to sign on your behalf.

MANDATORY DATES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Local Titleholders will advance to the Miss Ohio and Miss Ohio's Teen State Competition in June 2026.  Contestants are required to acknowledge the Mandatory Dates and Events that will require their attendance should they become Local Titleholders to participate in the State Competition.

NO-SHOW RULES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Contestants who register and submit paperwork for Local Competitions but fail to show up twice will be prohibited from competing for one year.  Exceptions will be for unforeseen circumstances on a case-by-case basis. 

SUBMIT A COPY OF THE DELEGATE AGREEMENT

You will need to submit a copy of the completed Miss America Delegate Agreement you received in an email from Miss America. 

NEXT STEPS

AFTER you have registered with the Miss America (registration link above) and completed the Delegate Agreement, you may proceed to complete the one-time Miss Ohio Local Competition requirements using the link below.

GO TO - MISS OHIO ONE-TIME LOCAL REQUIREMENTS

 

LOCAL COMPETITIONS 2025-2026

The following is a list of the Local Competitions, including their scheduled dates, the Titles planned to be awarded, and the city where each competition takes place. 

Almost all the locals will accept contestants from All of Ohio.

DATE		COMPETITION/TITLES		LOCATION		CONTESTANTS ACCEPTED FROM
JULY 20, 2025		MISS LAKE FESTIVAL MISS LAKE FESTIVAL'S TEEN		Celina		Mercer County & Surrounding Area
SEPTEMBER 20, 2025		MISS CLAYLAND		Urichsville		All of Ohio
OCTOBER 4, 2025		MISS NORTH COAST MISS NORTH COAST'S TEEN		Brunswick		All of Ohio
OCTOBER 25, 2025		MISS NORTHERN OHIO MISS NORTHERN OHIO'S TEEN MISS LAKE ERIE MISS LAKE ERIE'S TEEN MISS COLUMBIA HOMECOMING		Columbia Station		All of Ohio
NOVEMBER 1, 2025		MISS MAPLE CITY MISS MAPLE CITY'S TEEN		Norwalk		All of Ohio
JANUARY - TBD		MISS SHAWNEE MISS SHAWNEE'S TEEN MISS PORTSMOUTH MISS PORTSMOUTH'S TEEN		Portsmouth		All of Ohio
FEBRUARY 7, 2026		MISS GREATER COLUMBUS MISS GREATER COLUMBUS' TEEN MISS CENTRAL OHIO MISS CENTRAL OHIO'S TEEN		Columbus		All of Ohio
FEBRUARY - TBD		MISS CHILLICOTHE MISS CHILLICOTHE'S TEEN MISS SOUTH CENTRAL MISS SOUTH CENTRAL'S TEEN		Chillicothe		All of Ohio
FEBRUARY - TBD		MISS GREATER CLEVELAND MISS GREATER CLEVELAND'S TEEN MISS SPIRIT OF OHIO MISS SPIRIT OF OHIO'S TEEN		Sandusky		All of Ohio
MARCH 7, 2026		MISS OXFORD MISS OXFORD'S TEEN		Oxford		All of Ohio

For more details on each local, please visit the Miss Ohio website

GO TO - MISS OHIO WEBSITE LIST OF LOCALS 

 

READY TO ENTER A LOCAL COMPETITION

After you have completed the Miss America requirements and the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program's once-per-season requirements, you will be notified that you are eligible to compete in OHIO!

You may then proceed to choose the local you wish to enter and complete the online Entry Form. 

GO TO - LOCAL CONTESTANT ENTRY FORM