On October 22, 19 17- to 24-year-old women will take part in the Miss Otago Pageant, which was last held 12 years ago. Other titles to be won include Miss Photogenic, Miss Friendship, and Miss Swimwear.
Event director Donna Dobbinson was inspired to revive the pageant after moving from Christchurch to Dunedin following the February earthquake.
Her daughter, Annilise (16), had competed in several pageants, including Miss Teen New Zealand, and Mrs Dobbinson gained experience working behind the scenes.
She organised three pageants in Christchurch before their shift and said it had been "a long time" since Dunedin had hosted such an event.
Miss Otago was a regional Miss Universe event, with the winner gaining free entry to the Miss New Zealand pageant next year.
Mrs Dobbinson had been working for the past seven months to organise the show and find contestants.
"I truly believe getting out and looking for these girls myself makes for a very prestigious pageant as I believe the correct girls, with the right personalities, are chosen," she said.
Most of the contestants are students, and were approached in town for their confidence and appearance.
"I am looking for somebody that holds themselves well, dresses well, has confidence with their speaking. They need an average to tall height range, they need to have a good physical appearance, they need to look as if they look after themselves. [But] pageant girls are not skinny, skinny girls; they are real women."
Along with the usual swimwear, evening-wear and day-wear sections, the event would include dance routines, and a fashion show. Support from the Dunedin community had been "amazing" and she said the pageant would "definitely" become a regular event again.
The Miss Otago contestants will receive their sashes, and take part in a fashion show, at Nichols Garden Centre, 1.30pm on Saturday.
The pageant starts at 7.30pm on October 22 at the Otago Boys' High School Theatre. Tickets are available from Refind Rig.
