Thursday was the first night of competition at the annual "Miss Iowa" pageant.
The competition has been held in downtown Davenport for more than 30 years. This year, the executive director calls the group of contestants one of the most talented.
News 8's Jason Fechner and Pauli Mayfield are emcees for the event at the Adler Theater.
The pageant continues Friday. A winner will be crowned on Saturday.