Despite the weather, the traditional Miss America parade carried on in Atlantic City Watch video
As Zoey Grenier, Miss Alaska, rode atop a convertible car in a blue dress, she stretched out her right leg to show off her shoes, platform pumps with icicles on them.
"I love your crown!!" she said to the man on the boardwalk wearing a silver tiara.
"Great job!" he shouted -- to nearly each and every one of the 52 Miss America contestants as they passed in front of him, their legs stiffly extended for the occasion.
The traditional Miss America Show Us Your Shoes parade may be an affair for pageant queens, but the man with the crown, Gregg McLaughlin, has been coming to the procession every year since 1970 -- and yes, he always wears the pageant accessory. From 2005 to 2012, there was no parade because the pageant had moved to Las Vegas. When Miss America returned in 2013, the tradition started up again.
Gregg McLaughlin of Haddon Township has been coming to the Show Us Your Shoes parade for decades. (Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)"The Miss America parade is probably the biggest weekend of the year in Atlantic City," said McLaughlin, who lives in Haddon Township and would only (jokingly) call himself 38. "It belongs here, it should stay here and I'm here every year."
Despite rainy and windy conditions -- it was much the same scene at last year's parade -- spectators gathered all along the boardwalk, from New Jersey to Albany avenue, to see the pageant contestants model their ornate footwear and accompanying headdresses, themed outfits and classic cars.
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The story behind the shoe theme has it that in the 1970s, spectators to what was then the Miss America parade began shouting "Show us your shoes!" In the decades since, the pageant has obliged, asking contestants to design shoes representing their state in some way. The shoes, unveiled during a press conference on Tuesday, included Miss California's nugget-laden tribute to the California Gold Rush, Miss Idaho's spud-burdened red heels and Miss Indiana's Chuck Taylors.
Miss New Jersey, Lindsey Giannini, sported a very Atlantic City-themed ensemble, wearing white stiletto ankle boots that had playing cards, game pieces and dice on them, with a Monopoly board and black top hat completing the Parker Brothers look.
Atlantic County locals, those in town for the pageant and parents of contestants wore ponchos and held umbrellas, cheering for their states as marching bands played and dancers and baton twirlers sashayed down the boardwalk.
"We're here for Daja," said Allison Johnson, 55, of Greenville, S.C., referring to Daja Dial, Miss South Carolina, who won a swimsuit award in preliminary competition. "We've got Miss America here," Johnson asserted. "She has the determination and the drive."
Audrey Thames, Miss Maine 2014, who memorably delivered a comedic monologue written by Thomas Meehan at last year's pageant, came to support the current state titleholder. She recalled last year's parade when she came dressed in a fisherman's raincoat and galoshes, and found herself extremely prepared for the rainy conditions.
This year's Miss Maine, Kelsey Earley, used seashells from beaches across the state for her parade attire.
Lindsey Giannini, Miss New Jersey, in her Monopoly-themed ensemble. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)"She's definitely making Maine proud," said Thames, 20, excited to try out her first light-up state signs during Sunday's pageant final at Boardwalk Hall.
Ginger Davis of Lexington, Ky. rooted on her daughter, Clark Janell Davis, Miss Kentucky, as well as her son, a basketball player at Indiana's Butler University who rode with his sister in a convertible during the parade. Clark wore a basketball jersey dress to represent Kentucky University, where she's a vocal performance major.
"We've had a blast," her mother said. "Everyone we've met here has been super friendly. She called me one night and said she's made friendships to last a lifetime."
Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.