Mrs. International 2014 crowned in downtown Jacksonville

Maggi Thorne working to distribute shoes to children worldwide

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 200 international beauty queens added glitz and glamour to downtown Jacksonville this month, representing states and countries worldwide as they compete for the titles of Mrs. International®, Miss International® and Miss Teen International®. This year marks the first year International Pageants held its final competitions in Jacksonville.

The new Mrs. International 2014 is Maggi Thorne of Lincoln, Nebraska. Her platform is Soles4Souls, for which she is an international spokesperson raising awareness for the nearly 300 million children without shoes and distributing shoes in 127 countries. She has three children and works as an integrated branding expert.

Mrs. Thorne was crowned Saturday night at the Moran Theater at the Times Union Center for Performing Arts. In addition to beauty, style and overall poise, organizers say the pageants highlight the many successes and charitable causes each contestant supports throughout the year. The final contests feature live entertainment, celebrity emcees and competitions in four categories, including interview, evening gown, fitness wear, and fun fashion wear.

The International Pageant system was developed 29 years ago to promote today's women and their accomplishments through pageant competitions that embrace the highest of standards. Organizers say around the world, women are finding this system to offer them the opportunity to work with others to become positive role models. Each event offers contestants the opportunity to learn about customs and family life in other countries, along with the chance to share her beliefs and make new friends during the entire week of activities leading up the to two exciting evenings of final competition.

The Mrs. International pageant is the largest of its kind showcasing married women ages 21-to 56 years old and including their husbands as an integral part of the show. The second largest system in the nation, the Miss International pageant showcases single women ages 19-to 30 years old, and the Miss Teen International pageant focuses on young women ages 13-to 18 years old.

The Miss and Miss Teen International® Pageant Preliminary Competition will be held Friday August 1, 2014, 7:30 pm and the Final Competition held Saturday, August 2, 2014, 7:30 p.m.

For more information and a full description of regulations and application processes, please visit www.mrsinternational.com, miss-international.us, or missteeninternational.us.