Miss Virginia pageant starts today at Hotel Roanoke

7451 m The Miss Virginia Pageant activities got started today as the contestants began to arrive. (start film) Miss Virginia will be crowned tomorrow night in the state finals at Hotel Roanoke. (show film) This afternoon saw some of the early arrivals greet others who came in later in the day. Tomorrow, Lee Ann Meriweather Miss America will come to Roanoke to be one of the judges of the pageant tomorrow night. Also, last years Miss Virginia Julie Ann Bruening will be on hand, to actually crown the new Miss Virginia. The program got started tonight at 6 pm with a banquet for all the girls. There are 17 beuties who will compete for the title. The winner tomorrow night will win a trip to Atlantic City New Jersey to compete in the national pageant later in the summer. Rehearsals will begin tomorrow morning in the hotel ballroom. In the afternoon, a motocade bearing the constestants will parade through the downtown area at 2 pm. Again as last year, the Virginia pageant is being sponsored by the alley Junior Womans Club. Proceeds will be divided between Camp Easter Seal, and the Occupational Therapy Sales outlet on Williamson Road. The winner will also receive a prize of 50 dollars now, and 250 more in the fall if it is to be used for further education. Andy Peterson WSLS-TV staff member will be master of ceremonies. Judges will be: Sidney L Freeman, Drama & Speech instructor of Sweetbrier College Bob Porterfield, director, Barter Theater Betty Masters, Roanoke World News Photographer