The 2007 Miss South Dakota contestants will stay busy with official appearances and rehearsals for this week's pageant in Hot Springs.

The contestants will make public appearances Friday, June 8, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at 1 p.m., Castle Manor Nursing Home at 2 p.m. and the Mammoth Site at 4 p.m.

On Saturday, June 9, they will take part in the annual Miss South Dakota Pageant Parade at 10 a.m. and sign autographs at Centennial Park after the parade.

Preliminary competitions will be Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. One-half of the contestants will compete in swim suit and evening gown, and the other half will compete in talent. The following night, the groups of contestants will switch competitions.

At the beginning of the finals on Saturday, 10 semi-finalists will be announced and will complete all phases of the competition one more time, before five finalists are announced.

After one last on-stage interview, the new Miss South Dakota and her court will be selected from the Top 5.

Also this year during the pageant, 16 young women will compete for the 2007 Miss South Dakota's Outstanding Teen title.

More information about contestants, the pageant, and pageant tickets is available at misssd.org.