Miss National Sweetheart is a United States beauty pageant created in 1941 where runners-up from the Miss America state pageants are invited to Hoopeston, Illinois to compete for the title of Miss National Sweetheart, and the name of the title held by the winner of that pageant.
[1] The event, which has no official ties to the Miss America Organization, is sponsored by the Hoopeston Jaycees and is held on Labor Day weekend in conjunction with the town's revered annual Sweetcorn Festival.
[4] The winner of the Miss National Sweetheart title receives a $1,200 scholarship and a pendant shaped like an ear of corn.
[4] Since 1970 there have been nine Miss America titleholders who have competed in the National Sweetheart pageant.
Miss America state pageant contestants were prohibited from competing.