Hooters News

Miss Hooters beauty pageant to take place in Fort Worth for first time

The 2023 Miss Hooters International Emily Johnson.

Hooters

An international beauty contest will take place in Fort Worth for the first time: It's the 2024 Miss Hooters International Pageant, and it'll go down on Thursday, August 22 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth.

The event is open to the public for the first time since 2021, and tickets are on sale now.

According to a release, this is the 27th Annual Miss Hooters International Pageant, a high-stakes annual competition featuring 30 of the top Hooters Girls from across the globe, selected from over 18,000 Hooters Girls worldwide, vying for the coveted Miss Hooters International title and $30,000 grand prize.

The pageant promises to be entertaining, from the high-energy choreographed opening number to a swimsuit competition to Q&As with the finalists and judges.

The winner will be featured in Hooters' marketing and promotional campaigns; make media appearances; participate in both domestic and international openings, and attend philanthropic events, including the 2025 Hooters Calendar Tour.

Other awards will be bestowed for titles such as Miss Congeniality, Miss Photogenic, and Miss Fan Favorite. Fans can vote up to 10 times for their favorite until voting concludes on August 21 at 10:59 pm.

There are three locals competing:

Cassidy Welch (Dallas, Texas)
Anna Garrison (Grand Prairie, Texas)
Carielle England (Lewisville, Texas)

But let's give it up for contestant Phoenix-Bleu Leach, coming in from the greatest distance from Nottingham, England.

The pageant begins at 7:30 pm, but doors will open at 6 pm. General Admission tickets are $25, and Premium are $50, which includes reserved seating and two drink tickets, and can be purchased online.

Hooters senior director of marketing Melissa Fry says in a statement that, "We are incredibly proud of all the talented women participating in this year's Miss Hooters International Pageant. Each contestant embodies the spirit and dedication of Hooters, and their hard work and passion shine through in every aspect of the competition. This event is truly worth experiencing in person, as it captures the excitement, glamour, and celebration of our exceptional Hooters Girls. It is an honor to witness their journey and celebrate their achievements on this grand stage."

The complete lineup of contestants is as follows:

Averey Tressler (Anderson, South Carolina)
Ashleigh Meade (Chantilly, Virginia)
Kimi McFarland (Costa Mesa, California)
Sara Vratanina (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Enayyah Musa (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Jah'zahria Iverson (Douglasville, Georgia)
Cassidy Welch (Dallas, Texas)
Anna Garrison (Grand Prairie, Texas)
Macy LeBlanc (Houma, Louisiana)
Gwyn Johnson (Kennesaw, Georgia)
Sabriya Underwood (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania)
Amber Diaz (Kissimmee, Florida)
Holly Diaz (Kissimmee, Florida)
Carielle England (Lewisville, Texas)
Sophia Zullo (Mason, Ohio)
Brittany Winton (Mesa, Arizona)
Alekza Mora (Mexico City, Mexico)
Augustine Plante (Montreal, Canada)
Kendall Calvin (Nashville, Tennessee)
Carolina Mayorga (Norfolk, Virginia)
Phoenix-Bleu Leach (Nottingham, England)
Scarlett Knight (Pearland, Texas)
Aly Vargas (Pensacola Beach, Florida)
Tia Hairston (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Rosa Touch (Rohnert Park, California)
Eliana Valdez (San Marcos, California)
Sarah Magda (Sarasota, Florida)
Crystiana Roig-Guidry (Slidell, Louisiana)
Savannah Wicks (St. Peters, Missouri)
Natasha Vincent (Winnipeg, Canada)

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

closings