WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Miss America Organization has announced that the Miss America Competition will take place Aug. 28 – Sept. 6 in West Palm Beach.
The Palm Beaches will host events at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and the Hilton West Palm Beach.
The announcement was made on Thursday during Travel Rally Day — an event for tourism leaders.
Discover The Palm Beaches Makes Announcements at Travel Rally Day
The 2026 competition will commemorate 105 years of Miss America and will culminate with the crowning of the 99th Miss America on Sept. 6. Competitors, families, partners, and fans from across the country will converge in West Palm Beach for more than a week of events, competition, scholarship opportunities, and celebrations.
"It feels especially meaningful to announce this powerful next step for Miss America," said Robin Fleming, CEO of the Miss America Organization. “The Palm Beaches represent vision, momentum, and possibility, a place where women’s voices, ambition, and achievement can take center stage."
WPTV Shining a Light reporter T.A. Walker spoke to Miss America 2026, Cassie Donegan, about the news.
"We are making the Palm Beaches Miss America's new home," Donegan said. "The community here is so driven on their philanthropy and their passions that they care so much about and that's exactly one of the main things that the Miss America opportunity really stands for."
Local tourism leaders say the historic announcement underscores what Palm Beach County has become known for: staging world-class productions that draw national attention.
"Welcoming the Miss America Competition to The Palm Beaches is a significant honor for our destination,” said Milton Segarra, CDME, president and CEO of Discover The Palm Beaches. “For more than a century, Miss America has stood as a national platform for leadership and service. Hosting this iconic competition underscores our community’s ability to stage world-class events that bring people together and leave a lasting impact."
Preliminary competition events and the Miss America's Teen final will take place at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, providing an elegant, world-class backdrop for one of America's most recognizable traditions.
With our combination of pristine beaches, rich arts and culture, and award-winning hospitality, West Palm Beach offers a stage we can be proud to call home for the Miss America Organization to continue its mission: Empowering Women to Lead with Purpose.
And for Palm Beach County, this announcement is more than just national prestige — it's personal.
Palm Beach County already has a direct link to the Miss America system through the Miss South Florida Fair competition, which has helped launch young women from the area onto state and national stages. The Miss South Florida Fair winner goes on to compete for Miss Florida, and potentially Miss America. Theresa LaPore has served as executive director of the Miss South Florida Fair for 14 years.
When asked about the best part of her job, LaPore said:
"Probably the mentorship of the young ladies. You see, there’s these young ladies coming up, and they’re really going to make a difference in the world. It gives you a good feeling, and it… it restores your faith in humanity."
LaPore's favorite memory as director? Watching former contestant Taylor Tyson take third-runner up in 2018 — then attend Villanova Law School totally debt free thanks to scholarships earned through competition.
"They're not competing against each other, they're competing against themselves," LaPore said.
For details on hotel reservations, competition programming, ticket sales, and related events, visit MissAmerica.org and follow the Miss America Organization on social media. Fans can also sign up for the "Sash Flash' to receive ticket updates first.
What do you want me to Shine A Light on? What are you most proud of where you live? Email me at tawalker@wptv.com.
