When Allie Perl carefully made her way up the steps to the downtown stage at Penn Yan's StarShine Celebration as a candidate for the Miss Penn Yan competition, she was wearing something none of the other 14 candidates were: a walking cast due to an ankle injury.
When she walked back down those steps just a few minutes later, she was wearing something else that none of the others were: a tiara and sash proclaiming her Miss Penn Yan 2010.
Perl, sponsored by the Penn Yan Rotary Club, was among the largest group of candidates ever in the competition that is organized by Yates County Women, formerly BPW. The Miss Penn Yan competition is a traditional highlight to StarShine, the downtown festival that opens the holiday season in Penn Yan.
Thousands of people strolled Main Street, checking out shops, visiting with friends and neighbors and supporting local charitable organizations. Reasonably warm, calm weather helped keep the crowd around throughout the evening.
For more photos from StarShine 2009, see the related story.
