About Miss Florida Citrus
OUR HERITAGE
Dating back to 1924, the Florida Citrus Queen and Miss Florida Citrus programs have both been devoted to the promotion of the Florida citrus industry. Each year, organizers carefully selected a young woman to serve as Florida Citrus Queen, who became a goodwill ambassador throughout the state, the nation, and even the world. The Citrus Queen would reign over the Florida Citrus Exposition (later known as the Florida Citrus Festival) and even made appearances at the World's Fair. Florida Citrus Queens have also been photographed throughout the years with celebrities, dignitaries, and even the President of the United States.
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In 1983, the name of the competition changed to Miss Florida Citrus and the selection process changed from that of a more traditional beauty pageant to three days full of interviews, videotaping, and showcasing media/communications skills – all judged by a panel of industry leaders. The winner became a full-time salaried employee and traveled extensively throughout the year. Miss Florida Citrus attended national conventions as well as conducted numerous television, radio, and print interviews as the media spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Showcase and later the Florida Department of Citrus.
November 2003 signified the end of an era as the last Miss Florida Citrus was crowned.
However, the program did not remain dormant for long. Revival efforts began in 2012, and the first pageant was held in 2015.
OUR PRESENT
Miss Florida Citrus was revived in 2015 as an official preliminary competition to the Miss America program with the titleholder advancing to compete at the Miss Florida pageant in June each year.
Staying true to the program's roots, today's Miss Florida Citrus serves as an ambassador for the Florida citrus industry while also promoting her personal community service initiative.
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Throughout her year of service, she may represent the program at events across the state and nationwide, including potential engagements in Tallahassee, Washington, D.C., Texas, and various Florida communities. This local pageant provides meaningful visibility and impact well beyond its regional roots.
