Miss South Florida Fair 2018 Taylor Tyson has been crowned Miss Florida 2018. The nearly three-hour pageant took place last Saturday night at RP Funding Center’s Youkey Theatre in Lakeland. This is the first time a Miss South Florida Fair titleholder has won the Miss Florida crown.
Tyson was crowned by Miss Florida 2017, Sara Zeng of Palm Coast, who also presented her with a sash and a bouquet. With the Miss Florida crown comes a cash scholarship totaling $20,000 and a prize package worth more than $25,000.
Tyson, 23, is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and a law student at Stetson University. She was crowned Miss South Florida Fair on Jan. 13 at the 2018 South Florida Fair.
As Miss Florida, she will represent the state in the Miss America Pageant on Sept. 9 in Atlantic City. She will compete with women from throughout the country for the title of Miss America and $55,000 in cash scholarships.
The pageant was the culmination of five days of competition in Lakeland. Forty young women competed in preliminary rounds that included interview, evening gowns, lifestyle and fitness, talent and on-stage question categories. For her talent during the pageant, Tyson, a classical pianist, performed “Mephisto Waltz.”
