After eight years, the Miss New Jersey Competition is returning to Ocean City in June.
Marking its first time back in the shore town since 2018, the annual competition will take place at the Ocean City Music Pier. Preliminary rounds are scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 18 and 19, and the final competition and crowning will be held at 8 p.m. on June 20.
The winner will go on to represent the state in the Miss America Competition.
Also returning is a fan-favorite public event: the “Show Us Your Shoes” Parade, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 on the Ocean City Boardwalk. The parade features contestants riding in convertibles, dressed in themed costumes and showing off decorated footwear — a nod to a long-standing tradition that originated in Atlantic City during the height of the Miss America Pageant.
Ocean City officials say they are eager to welcome the competition back.
Michael Allegretto, aide to the mayor, said the Miss New Jersey Committee reached out to the city — and other communities — to see if it’d be interested in hosting the events. The city submitted a proposal and was ultimately selected to host once again.
“We’re super excited to have that happen,” Allegretto said.
He noted the event’s return is expected to provide an early-season boost to the local economy, like it had in the past.
“It was always the third week of June, which is obviously the kick off to the season,” Allegretto said. “It always certainly helped us start the season earlier having Miss New Jersey and all the participants there, along with all the family and friends who came down.”
A key factor in Ocean City’s selection was financial, Susan Nicolle, executive director of Miss New Jersey, said.
“Proposals were received from multiple venues across the state, and returning to Ocean City is allowing us to dedicate more funding directly to scholarships for our contestants,” Nicolle said.
She explained that lower operational costs mean more resources can go toward participant scholarships.
Beyond finances, Nicolle emphasized Ocean City’s appeal as a host location.
“Ocean City is known as ‘America’s Greatest Family Resort,’ and the city provides a wonderful backdrop for our week-long competition,” she said, citing the Music Pier, boardwalk, beaches, restaurants and entertainment as key elements that “create a memorable experience for the contestants, the families and the visitors.”
Bringing a beloved tradition to the boardwalk
The return of the “Show Us Your Shoes” Parade is another highlight of the move back to Ocean City.
Nicolle said the tradition dates back to Atlantic City’s Miss America parade, when spectators would call out, “Show us your shoes,” prompting contestants to display their footwear.
Over time, the moment evolved into a parade where contestants would dress and decorate their shoes in accordance with their home state. In this instance, since all the participants are from New Jersey, there will be a theme instead.
Allegretto said the parade is something Ocean City is uniquely positioned to host.
“We’re excited that they’re bringing the boardwalk parade back because that’s something that wasn’t part of the Atlantic City experience,” he said. “Just having it at the Music Pier, the historic venue that is overlooking the ocean and the beach, it just makes it… a special week for all the contestants.”
The 2026 event will also mark the first time Ocean City hosts the Miss New Jersey’s Teen competition, the “little sister program” to Miss New Jersey. The teen competition is scheduled for 1 p.m. June 20, ahead of the Miss New Jersey final that evening.
Allegretto said the week’s expanded lineup further underscores the alignment between the pageant and its host community.
“The Miss New Jersey competition and Ocean City have the same audience and appeal to the same people,” he said. “We have the same values. So I think it’s a great match for both of us.”
Julia graduated from Rider University in 2024 with a BA in multiplatform journalism and minor in social media strategies. In addition to reporting on local news for Shore Local, she is a social media strategist for small businesses. Connect with her: shorelocaljulia@gmail.com or @juliatrain on Instagram.
