Become a Miss Marin County Contestant
Click here for Marin County's Teen Information

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Age & Education
  • Contestant’s birth year must be 1997 through 2007.
  • Contestants whose birth year is 2007 may choose to compete as Miss or Teen.
Citizenship
  • Must be a citizen of the United States of America
Additional Miss Program Requirements
  • MUST attend all Miss Marin County rehearsals held on Sunday mornings on October 20, 27, November 3, 10 and 17 - Program is on November 24th
  • Attend Miss California Orientation in April 2025 (dates TBA) and the Miss California Competition in late June 2025 (dates TBA)  ​
  • Register for participation in the Miss America Organization ($39.99/year)​
  • Meet character criteria set forth by the Miss America Organization.
  • Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities as set forth by the local competition and the Miss California Organization.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in Social Media
​Residency
  • ​Meet ONE of the three geographic eligibility requirements below for Marin, Napa, or San Francisco.

Step 2: Review the Phases of Competition

Job Interview 
At the local level, each contestant participates in an individual 10-minute interview.  There are typically 5 to 7 judges on a panel, and the interview is press-style, with the contestant standing at a podium. Contestants are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. Scoring is based on overall communication skills, including personality, intelligence, validated opinions, emotional control, overall first impression and personal appearance.  Community Service is required on the local level.

Talent 
Contestants perform a 90 second routine of their own choosing. Some possible talents include all types of singing, dancing, gymnastics, instrumental music, dramatic or comedy monologues, baton twirling and ventriloquism. Other talents that can be performed solo on a stage are also possible. Phone or e-mail us if you have a question about your talent presentation.  Scoring is based on contestant’s skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body and choreography.

On-Stage Interview/Social Impact Pitch
Each contestant will answer a question on-stage and present her social impact initiative.  Question asked will be of a general nature and will be neither platform-related nor something taken directly from the private interview.  The objective is to evaluate the contestant’s ability to think on her feet and answer a question of general interest to people her age, including, but not limited to, local, state, and national current events.

Physical Fitness  
Each contestant appears on stage in an athletic wear outfit.

Red Carpet
Each contestant appears on stage in an evening gown of her own choosing; something appropriate for her age. Contestant will then model.  Scoring is based on overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality, stage presence, walk and posture, appropriate of attire, sense of attractiveness, extemporaneous response to an on-stage question, contestant’s ability to answer the question in the context in which it was asked, contestant’s ability to handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience.Contestant will then model.  Scoring is based on overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality, stage presence, walk and posture, appropriate of attire, sense of attractiveness, extemporaneous response to an on-stage question, contestant’s ability to answer the question in the context in which it was asked, contestant’s ability to handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience.

Step 3: Fill out our Local Registration Form 

Located on this page of our website.

Step 4: Register with Miss America

To be an official candidate, you must also visit the Miss America website and register before the first day of Miss Marin County rehearsal. The registration fee is $39.99. 
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After you register on the Miss California website,  be sure to follow up with our Executive Director, Michele Moser at (415) 883-7138 or [email protected] to let her know you have completed this step as well.