Alberto de Bobé received the Miss Virginia Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 for his work
with the Miss Virginia Pageant over the course of many years. The award was presented at a
luncheon at the Shenandoah Club on July 29—and a complete surprise to de Bobé.
“The Town of Vinton and the Vinton Dogwood Festival Committee are so very proud of him,”
said Susan Teass, who has also volunteered with the Miss Virginia Pageant and Dogwood
Festival for many of those same years.
Elaine Aiken says she was introduced to Alberto in 1974 when she was Miss Winchester Tri County. She lived in Vinton all her life and graduated from William Byrd with the Class of 1971, then the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music.
“Alberto helped select my talent gown and swimsuit. He taught/mentored me on pageantry. In 1985, I became a local director of the Miss Apple Blossom Pageant and we met again. Fifty years later, I am the Co-Executive Director of Miss Virginia Opportunity.”
“Alberto has been the designer for numerous Miss Virginia’s and hundreds of contestants. When you go to his home there are sparkling dresses hanging all through the house and bras in the kitchen cabinets. He would teach you to model and coach you on interviewing. He worked on production at Miss Virginia and Miss America. For 45 years he designed costumes for the productions. It was an honor and a pleasure to present my ‘Spanish Dad’ the Lifetime Achievement Award.”
