Fifty-one women from all over the state of Utah will compete for the title of Miss Utah this week. While the contestants checked the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake on Monday for the week of competitions, they spent their first night in Provo, Utah showing off their kicks in the annual Show Me Your Shoes Parade at the Shops at Riverwoods.
The Show Me Your Shoes Parade, which is patterned after the Miss America kick-off event, is a tradition where contestants dress up and decorate a pair of shoes that represent them. Their shoes reflect either their city/county or their platform. Instead of walking around in the sometimes height-defying and intricately decorated heels, contestants hop on a golf cart and ride through a parade of family and friends.
The current Miss Utah, Lauren Wilson, said she is enjoying this week since she is no longer a contestant, but rather a titleholder.
“It is so fun being on this side of it, being able to talk to the contestants because I have been in their shoes,” Wilson said. …”It’s definitely more relaxed this year because I am not competing, so I don’t have the stress or the pressure trying to impress the judges.”
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