Overwhelming October: Which pageant are you rooting for?
PROLOGUE
It’s October and it also happens to be the most stocked pageant month. With 4 major pageants happening in October, pageant fans are having hard time keeping up with all the trending news in the pageants running its course. The said 4 pageants are Miss Intercontinental, Miss Grand International, Miss International and Miss Earth arranged according to the coronation balls supposed to be held in October. The 4 of these belong to the top 7 pageants in the world, so the excitement is miles high.
MISS INTERCONTINENTAL
Miss Intercontinental moved from its traditional base in Germany to panoramic Sri Lanka, a positive move and the pageant is now gaining ground with major national pageants and fans worldwide, its being held on 16th of October. With its smooth run so far in the scenic Ceylon, pageant fans must look forward to this pageant which has a unique placement format (equal placement slots for all continents).
MISS GRAND INTERNATIONAL
Soon after MIC, Miss Grand International with its advocacy “Stop the War and Violence” will be held on 25th of October culminating to a series of activities across Las Vegas, USA. The pageant has moved from its home in Thailand to USA in its 4th year and that is quite an accomplishment. It also has a new crown which will be used for the next 3 years. Mr Nawat (President – MGI) also promised new exciting changes to this year’s pageant. But with the highs comes the lows, The pageant was marred with series of visa issues where in many contestants were denied visa and had to be replaced by runner ups or other appointees. The contestant number fell from the original 81 to 71. Having won the best pageant activities by GB for two consecutive years, will MGI live to its expectations in the desert ridden Nevada?
MISS INTERNATIONAL
2 Days after the MGI i.e. on 27th of October, Pageants fans will have to gear up for Miss International, being held in Japan, home of Miss International. The pageant has been criticised for being lukewarm in its production and lacking entertainment value and also for diversity in its winners (no African country has ever won this pageant in its 55 years of running. But with the recent change in its management, the pageant has seen some positive changes (addition of continental titles) and promises to add few more changes to this year as well. Miss International has lot to prove in terms of entertainment value, it just can’t rely on its 55 year old history. New pageants with higher entertainment value have left Miss International behind on production value and number of contestants as well. Will Miss International be able to keep up with the competition?
MISS EARTH
Beauties for a cause will be gathering in Davao, Philippines to compete in this years Miss Earth themed as ‘Empowered to change’. With 80 plus environmental warriors this pageant has the highest number of delegates compared to the aforementioned. Miss Earth has a good environmental advocacy and started off great with pageant fans getting behind its honest cause but in recent years the pageant has run down the mills due to its production value and also due to its unfair bias towards its home delegates who sometimes are pushed through the competition over more deserving candidates. And this year the trend continues with Philippines winning darling of the press despite passing controversial statements about her president and comparing him to Hitler. Miss Earth promises new changes this year as they move to a new finale venue and affirms a better production value. Will Miss Earth be able to dust off its notoriety of bias towards its home delegates? Will have to wait and watch.
WRAPPING UP
Pageant fans are in a treat for a month. With so many top notch pageants happening at the same time, which pageant will get the admiration of the fans? As per now the constant battle of Filipinos (Miss Earth fans) verses the Thais/ Indonesians/ Indians (MGI fans) continue to wage on which is keeping the two pageants trending. Miss Intercontinental having started much earlier than the rest 3 has got due attention and is expected to ward off the crazy drama. But Miss International will be the biggest loser in the imbroglio, being sandwiched between warring armies, it has none of its own and is not expected to be followed as much as the other 3. Wishing these 3 pageants all the best and may they give their fans something new and refreshing and keep pageantry alive.
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Author: Adney Goncalves