Crowned in Columbia: Miss South Carolina 2025
You don’t have to own a sash to know the stakes… Anyone who’s ever pitched an idea, stepped on stage, or stood up for something they believe in knows exactly what pageant women are walking into this competition season: pressure, poise, and performance—with purpose behind every step.
Now, it’s go time! After months of service, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes hustle, South Carolina’s top titleholders are headed to Columbia’s Township Auditorium for the Miss South Carolina Finals on June 28. It’s showtime—but not the cutthroat kind! These women are showing up for scholarships (more than $200,000 on the line), social impact, and a sisterhood that pushes each other forward. The crown is nice (shiny!), but the real prize? It’s opportunity (with a little glam, of course)!
More Than a Crown
Sure, there’s glitter. But behind the gold? Strategy, storytelling, and a serious amount of prep... Miss South Carolina delegates are judged in five categories:
- Private Interview
- On-Stage Conversation
- Talent
- Evening Wear
- Health & Fitness
They’re also required to develop and advocate a social impact initiative—something they’ll promote all year long through school visits, nonprofit work, and public speaking. To give you an idea, past topics have ranged from youth mental health to literacy, foster care reform to digital detox!
And while the crown is the most visible prize, the real win is what happens offstage. Contestants walk away with scholarship dollars, public speaking experience, and a network of mentors that lasts long after the final bow.
There’s more than one title on the line, too! Miss South Carolina’s 2025 Teen competition is also part of the week, and these younger delegates bring just as much heart, hustle, and purpose to the stage.
A Long-Standing Legacy
2024’s reigning queens—Miss South Carolina Davis Wash and Miss South Carolina’s Teen Mary Elle Marchant—set the bar high for 2025! Davis spent her year advocating for kids with incarcerated parents, while Mary Elle, a Lexington teen and lifelong dancer, encouraged her generation to unplug with her #HangUpAndHangOut campaign.
This kind of hard, community-focused work shows how much this competition has evolved. The first pageant winner, “Miss Columbia’s” Wayring Smathers, took the crown back in 1936. She probably couldn’t have pictured today’s delegates launching campaigns, leading school visits, or tackling statewide issues… But that’s exactly what this historic, yet timeless, tradition is doing today! Because growing smart, driven women is still the point—long after the glitter fades.
Thinking of Competing?
You don’t have to start on a big stage to end up on one. Local festivals, university titles, and community pageants across South Carolina all feed into the state competition—and chances are, there’s one happening not far from your front porch!
It all starts local, but nothing stays small for long. Because in South Carolina… Confidence, purpose, and a good pair of heels can take you far!
From arts to advocacy, pageants are just one way South Carolinians show up for their communities! Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes (and maybe dance a little in your own!)—check out www.guidetosouthcarolina.com/community-organizations and www.guidetosouthcarolina.com/arts-entertainment!
