Lorain International Festival princess pageant tonight

The Lorain International Festival princess pageant is 7 p.m. tonight at the Lorain Palace Theatre. Eighteen girls will compete to be crowned 2009 Lorain International queen.

Nine nationalities are will be represented at this year’s pageant.

Only once in International Festival’s 43 years — 1994 — has a princess from the spotlight nationality been crowned queen. But with six princesses in the field of 18 from the spotlight Puerto Rican nationality, the odds are good that the feat could be happen again.

Get to know the princess before you go to the pagent. Here’s a video of the princesses introducing themselves at Tuesday night’s Lorain International Festival sacred music concert.

Click below to check out each girl’s bio:

• Marissa Pabon, African American princess
• Kalyn Brown, Irish princess
• Jordan Schulin, German princess
• Brianna Lindway, German princess
• Carmen Molina, Puerto Rican princess
• Lauren Cendrosky, Polish princess
• Telisa Soto, Mexican princess
• Lakya Hunter, African American princess
• Mayrin Rosario, Puerto Rican princess
• Ciara Gómez, Puerto Rican princess
• Amanda Buchs, Hungarian princess
• Jasmine Garcia, Czechoslavakian princess
• Samaira Collazo, Puerto Rican princess
• Cierra Rivas, German princess
• Maria Kantouros, Greek princess
• Cynthia Torres, Puerto Rican princess
• Melina Rosas, Puerto Rican princess
• Mariah Sledge, African American princess

Meet the International Festival princesses: Samaira Collazo, Puerto Rican princess

Name: Samaira Collazo

Nationality: Puerto Rican

Listen to Samaira introduce herself. (Audio courtesy of WEOL.)

Age: 17

Sponsor: Iglesia Manantial Inc.

Parents: Pauline and Samuel Collazo

High school: Lorain Southview High School

Future plans: “I plan to go to college and study to become an ultrasound technician.”

Costume: “The red flowers in my gown represent the beautiful flowers found in Puerto Rico and the red, white and blue accessories are colors of the Puerto Rican flag. White stands for peace and honesty, red for hardiness, bravery, strength and valor, and blue for vigilance, truth, loyalty, perseverance and justice.”

Roots: “My background is a rich racial mixture of mulattos, whites and blacks, which characterizes Puerto Rican roots.”

Favorite ethnic food: yellow rice and beans, yuga, yellow plantains, rotisserie chicken naturally made outside.

Favorite book: “Twilight” series

Favorite movie: “Twilight”

A message from Samaira: “I feel that it is an honor to represent my Puerto Rican nationality. I wish to represent my Puerto Rican heritage with pride and stand proud for my race and who I am.”