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CANTON, OHIO (Feb. 4, 2013) – The 50th anniversary of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the annual Enshrinement Festival will be celebrated in 2013, and the first event kicking off the festivities is the annual Queen Pageant on Thursday, May 9. Applications and tickets will be available beginning Monday, Feb. 11, on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, located at 222 Market Ave. N. in downtown Canton. The deadline to submit the application and $70 fee is Monday, Mar. 11, by 5 p.m. Candidates cannot be younger than a high school senior and 18 years old by May 1 or more than 23 years of age before Sept. 1. Candidates must reside and, if employed, work within a 30-mile radius of Stark County. While not mandatory, all potential candidates are invited and encouraged to attend the fourth annual "Screen the Queen Pageant" session, which will take place Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce from 9 to 11 a.m. This session will help young ladies decide if they would like to enter the pageant, and to give them a better idea of what to expect if they do. Participants will have the opportunity to review the 2012 Queen Pageant DVD, learn about the judging experience from past years' judges, hear from a past queen who will share her memories, and ask questions about the process. This informative, informal session is FREE, but reservations must be made in advance by contacting Kathy Lindenberger at (330) 458-2056 or kathyl@cantonchamber.org. The Queen Pageant on Thursday, May 9, will begin at 7 p.m. at The Canton Palace Theatre. All seats are reserved at $20 each, and tickets can be purchased at the Canton Regional Chamber, Canton AAA and Massillon AAA. At the conclusion of the Pageant, a Queen and seven court members will have been selected on the basis of personality, poise, beauty, communication skills, academic achievement and service to community. The number of court members selected coincides with the number of members of the 2013 Class of Enshrinees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is comprised of guard/tackle Larry Allen, wide receiver Cris Carter, defensive tackle Curley Culp, tackle Jonathan Ogden, coach Bill Parcells, linebacker Dave Robinson and defensive tackle Warren Sapp. The Queen and her court will serve as role models and goodwill ambassadors throughout the community, and one of their most memorable experiences will be their ride on a float in the Enshrinement Festival Grand Parade. For more information regarding applications, tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Kathy Lindenberger at (330) 458-2056 or visit the Enshrinement Festival Web site at www.profootballhofef.com. For 50th anniversary news, check the Enshrinement Festival Facebook page. And save the date for the Community Celebration Day, which will be observed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 7, which marks 50 years since the Hall opened its doors for the first time.

ENSHRINEMENT FESTIVAL FACTS

In 2013, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Enshrinement Festival will mark the 50th anniversary of honoring the legends of professional football, which includes conducting a world-renowned festival celebrating the annual enshrinement of football players, coaches and contributors into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The collaborative efforts of this leadership team, combined with the professional staffs at the Canton Regional Chamber and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the dedicated team of more than 4,200 volunteers, will ensure the success of 19 diverse events from July 19 through Aug. 6, 2013. The Enshrinement Festival activities, attended by nearly 700,000 people, are expected to produce an economic impact of over $32 million for the Canton/Stark County area and $56 million for the State of Ohio. In addition, millions will experience aspects of the Enshrinement Festival as events are televised and covered by other media. The central focus and highlight of this year’s Enshrinement Festival will be the Aug. 3 Enshrinement Ceremony for the Class of 2013 Enshrinees, comprised of guard/tackle Larry Allen, wide receiver Cris Carter, defensive tackle Curley Culp, tackle Jonathan Ogden, coach Bill Parcells, linebacker Dave Robinson and defensive tackle Warren Sapp. For the complete schedule of events, ticket information, and latest news, check the web sites periodically: www.profootballhofef.com or www.profootballhof.com.

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