Marion hosts Miss Illinois contest | Arts & Culture

MARION, IL (KFVS) - A young woman from Illinois will be one step closer to being Miss America Saturday night.

That woman will be crowned in Marion.

The Marion Cultural and Civic Center Hosts the Miss Illinois pageant this week.

Twenty-five contestants from all across Illinois are in Marion for the contest.

"The Miss America organization is a wonderful organization for these girls, 17 to 24, the teen program," said Amalia Schwerdtmann with the Illinois Scholarship Association. "And if you're unfamiliar, just come out and look and watch and see. And I guarantee youll want to be a part of it."

This is the second time Marion has hosted the event.

The winner moves on to compete in the Miss America contest in January in Las Vegas.

Along with Miss Illinois, judges will crown the Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen and Pre-teen.

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