There is a newly crowned royal on the streets of Boston. Winning by a mere two votes in the closest race since the competition started (a whole one year ago), Carly Marciano, 22, was crowned Miss Boston 2009 Saturday night at FELT nightclub.
In Saturday’s final round, hosted by MTV Real World Alum Randy Barry and Miss Boston 2008, Alida D’Angona, five Boston natives competed for the tiara.
Miss Boston was put on by FELT in an effort to find the ultimate local model and the pretty face of Boston for the year. The three-week competition gave some beautiful and talented Bostonians an opportunity for exciting exposure, said FELT Marketing director Shannon Finks. Now in its second year, Finks called it one of the “sexiest events of the summer.”
Marciano beat out about 80 entries into the Miss Boston Contest for the title. Through a pre-screening, 12 participants were selected to compete in three categories: semi-formal wear, bikini wear and personality. Only seven advanced to the second round and five lucky ladies participated in the finals.
It was the semi-formal wear competition on Saturday night and Adelina Keshishian, Alexa O’Hara, Carly Marciano, Cyann Ribeiro and Kristin Phelps graced the stage.
“You have to stunt your stuff the best you got and pray it’s enough” said first-runner-up Alexandra O’Hara. “It sucks that I lost by two votes, but at least I played the game. I’d rather lose by two votes than two hundred. Two votes means I gave Carly a good run for her money.”
When it came to voting, the judges “" various local celebrities and personalities in Boston fashion “" held 50 percent of the vote while crowd participation held the other 50.
“We all had no clue who was going to win” said second-runner-up and Somerville native model/actress Cyann Ribeiro. “The crowd was hootin’ and hollerin’ for everybody so loud I couldn’t think up there. I just kept telling myself to smile. That was all that mattered.”
As the judges deliberated and votes were counted, the crowd kept the party going. DJ Freddy B from Las Vegas spun the latest tracks as everyone on the crowded floor took a break from cheering for their friends, tossed back their drinks and showed off their dance moves.
“You gotta show up and cheer for your girl” said attendee Chantal Keys. Keys had grown up with contestant Kristin Phelps and came to every stage of the competition to support her “homegirl.”
“There’s no way you could get me on stage in a bikini but if anyone’s gonna do it Kristin is the girl for the job. I hate going to the beach with that girl.”
Dean Cleary, a Boston local, also attended. He doesn’t know any of the contestants personally, yet. “Maybe one day one of them will be my lady” he said of the girls on stage. “A guy can dream. And buy the runner-up a drink. We’ll see how far tonight takes me.”
Finally the lights turned down and the Black Eyed Peas blared from the DJ booth: “I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good good night.” The contestants entered the stage again to hear who had won the title. A few more jokes were told, and the crowd almost quieted for a second as they waited to hear who had won.
“I didn’t think they called my name at first” Marciano remembered. “But then everyone pushed me forward and I was just like “ËœOh. I won’.”
Marciano shed a few tears and shook the hands of her friends as she was on the stage at FELT. “Thank you to everyone” she cried, “you don’t know how much this means to me.”
“The life of Miss Boston is a good life” said D’Angona in the last hour of her title as Miss Boston. “It’s been a crazy year, of photo shoots and appearances, free Red Sox tickets, and free booze.”
As winner, Marciano won an all expenses paid trip to the Caribbean, a magazine spread in Upscale Living, the title “Face of FELT” for all 2009 campaigns and a fashion shoot with Stewart Smith.
“I don’t know which part I’m the most excited about” Marciano said, “but I’m sure as hell going to enjoy the next year living it up in Boston. I wonder if this title will get me any free food.”
Blast’s editor was totally rooting for finalist Kristin Phelps, but says he has “nothing but love” for everyone who competed. You’d say that too.