Community Corner
Parade Kicks Off Miss New Jersey Pageant Events
The contestants dressed as television characters for the annual boardwalk event.
The quest of 24 women to reach the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas began on the Ocean City Boardwalk on Wednesday night.
That's where the Miss New Jersey Pageant Parade took place, and the parade precedes three nights of pageant events that will ultimately determine who represents the state in the Miss America Pageant in January.
The contestants dressed up to fit the parades theme: television shows and characters. The themes spanned television history from "I Love Lucy" to "Glee." Contestants showed the crowd their shoes (as per Miss America Pageant Parade tradition), but some went shoeless to fit their theme.
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Several hundred people lined the Ocean City Boardwalk between Fifth and 14th streets to watch the annual event on a warm and buggy night.
Amy Ross sat with Bozzelli family and friends to support their daughters.
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Amanda Ross, Miss Gloucester County Outstanding Teen, was in the parade along with her pageant sister, Miss Gloucester County Kate Bozzelli.
The Ross and Bozzelli families say they support every pageant, no matter if their children are involved. Bozzelli is a 20-year-old Linwood resident competing in the pageant.
"Kate did it as a whim and became Junior Miss Brigantine, and then Miss Atlantic County in 2008. She was then Miss Seashore Line, and now Miss Gloucester County," Richard Bozzelli said.
The pageant also included West Deptford's Sammi-Jo Danze, 23, who is competing as Miss Northern Lakes.
The parade included the following 2011 contestants:
- Michele Goldberg, Miss Union County, Scooby Doo
- Quaniesha Frost, Miss Tri County, Tyra Banks from "America’s Next Top Model"
- Jachele Velez, Miss Seashore Line, Cleopatra from series of "Rome"
- Rachel Kuhar, Miss Salem County, Olive Oyl from "Popeye"
- Katie Revier, Miss Monmouth County, "The Jetsons"
- Breanne Ray, Miss Middlesex County, "Cake Boss"
- Sammi-Jo Danze, Miss Northern Lakes, Vanna White from "Wheel of Fortune"
- Carmen Bloom, Miss Mercer County, "Wonder Woman"
- Tarmara Allison, Miss Liberty, Sue Sylvester from "Glee"
- Ellen Chu, Miss Heartland, "Addams Family"
- Kate Bozelli, Miss Gloucester County, "Charlie's Angels"
- Vanessa Baez, Miss Gateway, Mary Ann from "Gilligan’s Island"
- Courtney Charatsaris, Miss Eastern Shore, Ariel from "Little Mermaid"
- Angelica Nardi, Miss Cumberland County, "I Love Lucy"
- Krysten Moore, Miss Columbus Day, Wilma Flintstone
- Katharyn Nicolle, Miss Coastal Shore, Rosie the Riveter
- Carissa Palumbo, Miss Champaign Springs, "Vampire Diaries"
- Katie Berry, Miss Central Coast, "Bay Watch"
- Kaitlin Davis, Miss Cape Shores, Belle from "Beauty and the Beast"
- Anna Negron, Miss Cape May County, "I Dream of Jeannie"
- Roopalie Pendse, Miss Camden County, the Energizer Bunny
- Lauren Talvacchio, Miss Atlantic Shores, a Mouseketeer from the "Mickey Mouse Club"
- Cierra Jones, Miss Atlantic County, Cat Woman
Reigning Miss New Jersey Ashleigh Udalovas led the parade, which included Miss Ocean City Rachel Reese, riding in a lifeguard boat, and Little Miss Ocean City Sadie Ford and Junior Miss Ocean City Emily Aita riding on floats.
