Newton crowned top host in Miss Iowa USA pageant

For almost a decade, Newton has hosted Miss Teen Iowa and Miss Iowa USA. Once a year, the halls of Newton High School smell so strongly of perfume and Aqua Net that if you light a match, the whole place might combust. It’s a cue spotlights will shortly pan over young women from across the state wearing more sequins than contained in Joseph’s Jewelers.

For the dozens who travel to the preliminary rounds each year, only 15 girls become semi-finalists for Miss Teen Iowa, and only 12 young women become semi-finalists in the Miss Iowa competition. Each vies for the crown to represent the Miss Teen and Miss USA competitions in spring of the following year. This year, Kristen Hovda of Cedar Rapids, won Miss Teen Iowa and Baylee Drezek of Eldridge, won Miss Iowa under the glaring spotlights and beaded chandelier backdrops.

Behind the scholarship money, complimentary hair extension and spray tan prizes, and the thick makeup engineered to enhance features under the spotlight, lies the community that enables the success of this event.

“We come into the community, and it’s super important that we have the support of the community from the budgetary standpoint to be able to produce an event of this level,” said Denise Wallace, executive state director of Future Productions, LLC and the master of ceremonies at this year’s Miss Teen Iowa and Miss Iowa pageant.

As the contestants changed out of spandex activewear and itsy-bitsy bikinis and into bedazzled evening gowns, Wallace rattled off the names of eight Newton sponsors, including Alpha Media and the City of Newton. To throw an event that attracts nearly 1,000 spectators, however, requires an overwhelming amount of community cooperation that extends beyond sponsorship. The pageant recognized the City of Newton with a plaque for its outpouring of support for the event over the years.

“Eight years is a long time for an event to stay in one specific community, so I think it speaks volumes to the community of Newton (and) to the people that they are helping make the event possible and bringing it back every year and working with us,” said Wallace.

Future Productions originally chose Newton for the pageant’s home because of its hotel capacity and the high school’s spacious auditorium.

“There are just certain things that have to happen,” Wallace said. “That’s the first thing we look into, and then we look into the initial support from the city.”

Out of all the cities across the Midwest that host Future Production’s pageants, Wallace cites Newton as one of the company’s favorite destinations. Producers, judges, volunteers and contestants appreciate the safety of the city and the picturesque beauty of the downtown and surrounding area. They especially love the welcome and encouragement they receive from the city and the high school.

“They’ve consistently worked every year to make sure that the standard of the event continues to go up and not backward,” Wallace said. “It’s really been amazing because each year when we meet or have a conversation about what happened last year and what we’d like to add this year. That’s always met with ‘What can we do to help?’ Let’s see what we can do.’ I think the ability to have the quality of the event increase speaks volumes to Newton.”

The city also benefits from hosting the pageant. People nationwide stream the event from home and hear “Newton” mentioned as they pop another Oreo in their mouths while watching young women in sky-high heels teeter across the stage. People from across the state come to spend the weekend in Newton’s hotels, shop at the boutiques in the town square and dine at local favorites.

When people return from the weekend of paste-on smiles and false eyelashes, they tell others they’ve spent the weekend in Newton.

“When people think ‘Miss Iowa USA,’ they think, ‘Newton.’ It’s kind of started to get to be that way,” Wallace said. “I think that’s a wonderful thing for everybody.”

Contact Phoebe Marie Brannock at 641-792-3121 ext. 6547 or pbrannock@newtondailynews.com