The 31st annual Miss Food City Pageant took place on Saturday, October 28th at The McGlothlin Center for the Arts in Emory, VA. Each year, the pageant showcases talented young women from across the region, competing for the coveted title and the opportunity to represent Food City in the coming year.  The contestants were judged on a number of criteria, including private interview, sportswear, professional attire, formal evening wear, and on-stage question. 

 

Addison Smith from Abingdon, VA was crowned Miss Food City 2024. “Becoming Miss Food City was truly a dream come true. I can’t wait for all the memories I’m going to make, experiences I’ll have, and people I’ll get to meet in the year ahead. I am so thankful for each person who has supported me and cheered me on through my journey to the crown. I couldn’t have done it without them, and thank you to the judges for believing in me to represent the best store in town! Let’s make Food City proud!” said Smith.  She succeeds Alexis Ramsey from Oakwood, VA, who held the title in 2023.

 

Addison is currently a student at the University of Tennessee. Her hobbies include photography, organizing, and playing pickleball. She considers her greatest accomplishments to be getting baptized, starting her own photography business, being Valedictorian of her high school class, and being accepted into the University of Tennessee. Her future goals are to secure an internship with Food City, graduate college Summa Cum Laude, begin a rewarding career, and marry her high school sweetheart.

 

Addison will represent Food City at various company events and activities in the coming year, including the March 17th return of the Food City 500 to Bristol Motor Speedway and the September 20th Food City 300. “We would like to thank all of the talented and accomplished young ladies who competed in this year’s pageant. We certainly wish them all the best in their future endeavors,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “We are excited to have Addison represent our company and look forward to working with her in the coming year.”

 

Kerigan Robinson of Big Stone Gap, VA was selected as first runner-up and Isabella Caruso of Johnson City, TN was named second runner-up. Shayli Castle of Castlewood, VA received the Miss Photogenic award. 

 

The annual pageant was directed by the ladies of the Twin City Woman’s Club, with event proceeds benefitting their sponsored projects and charities.  “We would like to extend a special thanks to our volunteers who work so hard to make the pageant such a tremendous success, including the members of the Twin City Woman’s Club, WXBQ-96.9 FM 24 Carrot Country for their continued promotional and advertising support, The McGlothlin Center for the Arts, the performers and entertainment, our Food City associates, and the many others who have given of their time and talents in support of this event,” said Kevin Stafford, Food City Vice President of Marketing.

 

About the Miss Food City Pageant

The first pageant was held in the Bristol Mall in 1992. Former winners include Janet Barton - 1992 & 1993, Meredith Blankenship – 1994, Tracy Wilson – 1995, April Elswick – 1996, Lisa Tollett – 1997, Christin Wilson – 1998, Erica Hembree – 1999, Amanda Greene – 2000, Misty Horn – 2001, Ronna Compton – 2002, April Owens – 2003, Kimberly Coen – 2004, Megan Ashe – 2005, Mally Gent – 2006, Britney Hagy – 2007, Jennifer Whittington – 2008, Lindsey Blevins – 2009, Melissa O’Neal – 2010, Elizabeth Robinette – 2011, Ginny Cole – 2012, Alex Honeycutt – 2013, Kayla Neikirk – 2014, Kassie Perkins – 2015, Azlinn Alder – 2016, Callie Corum – 2017, Hannah Everhart – 2018, Megan Grace Stanley – 2019, Alexandria Alder – 2020 & 2021, Elizabeth McReynolds – 2022, Alexis Ramsey – 2023.

 

Pictured left to right:

Kerigan Robinson - first runner-up

Alexis Ramsey – Miss Food City 2023

Addison Smith – Miss Food City 2024

Isabella Caruso - second runner-up

Shayli Castle - Miss Photogenic

 

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 153 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.