Open Titles and Competitions

Open titles are another way for New Yorkers to join the Miss New York and Miss New York’s Teen Class of 2025. The number of in-person competitions/titles and the counties eligible for them is determined each year based on a number of factors, including existing local opportunities to get to the State Competition and availability of mentors/local directors in training. A webinar with a walk through of open-titleholder expectations will be available on December 1st, but a preview of the time and financial obligations are available on the Miss Program and Teen Program pages

In-Person Open Competition
(Miss and Teen)

The in-person open competition is run exactly like a local competition. Volunteers who are running the show are individuals working towards running their own locals in the future and are ready to guide and mentor the winners. 

2025 Downstate Open Competition
Date: January 26, 2025
Venue: Greenroom 42, Manhattan
Registration Fee: $200

Miss Titles: Broadway, City of New York, Five Boroughs, Queens
Eligible Counties: Bronx County, Kings County, Nassau County, New York County, Orange County, Putnam County, Queens County, Richmond County, Rockland County, Suffolk County, Westchester County

To Compete
  1. Register with Miss America
  2. Register with us (Miss New York)
  3. Pay your entry fee
  4. Raise $30 through your spotfund profile
  5. Send your paperwork to the volunteer directors (Contact info coming soon)

You will need:

The Digital Open Competition
(Miss Only)

This will be run like a modified local competition. You will submit an introduction video and fact sheet (15%), your Service Initiative statement (15%), a video of your talent (35%) and have a private interview with the judges via zoom (35%). Contestants will send in their contract, headshot, and panelist paperwork via email. Interviews will take place in the early afternoon and the winners will be notified and announced in the evening.

2025 Digital Open Competition (Miss)
Applications open now, close on February 27, 2025
Competition Date: March 1, 2025
Application Fee: $75
State Entry Fee (for title winners): $500 (crown is separate and optional)

Miss Titles: Winners choose their titles
Eligible Counties: All counties in New York State

Please watch the webinar video below with more information about what it means to be an ‘open state contestant’ so you know the expectation of a titleholder before signing up. Once you are ready:

To Apply
  1. Register with Miss America
  2. Submit your application
  3. Pay your application fee
  4. Email you paperwork and videos to ashley@miss-newyork.org

You will need:

  • Panelist paperwork (fact sheet and resume instructions, unchanged from last year)
  • headshot (in color please)
  • contract (download and submit here) password is: watermelon
  • A 45 second max video introducing yourself, your service initiative, and what you will do to further your initiative as a titleholder. This does not need to be a professionally produced video.
  • A 100 second max video of your talent. the performance itself is limited to 90 seconds, but there is buffer time allowed for starting and ending your recording. This does not need to be a professionally produced video.

Open Application
(Teen Only)

If you are a teen contestant has not earned a local title this year you can apply for your open title at anytime by filling out the application. Follow the steps below to join the class of 2025.

2025 Open Application (Teen)
Applications Open Now
Application Fee: $75
State Entry Fee: $500 (crown is separate and optional)

Teen Titles: Applicants choose their titles
Eligible Counties: All counties in New York State

[WATCH THE WEBINAR]

To Apply
  1. Register with Miss America
  2. Submit your application
  3. Pay your application fee

Once Approved

  1. Download, Fill, and sign the State contract (download here). Follow the instructions in the application to submit your contract.
  2. Pay entry fee (link will be emailed to you)