Among the many changes to the Miss Virginia pageant this year, a few familiar faces will appear.

With a new set design, changes in personnel and headline appearances by former Miss Americas, get ready for a whirlwind week. For some of the contestants, it's a week they've experienced before.

One of the most notable changes is the pageant's new online voting system, adopted after the Miss America pageant successfully introduced online participation to choose a 16th semifinalist this January. As of Sunday, 7,400 votes were cast for people's favorites of the 25 contestants. The contestant with the highest number of online votes will become the 11th semifinalist, and will be announced along with the other 10 semifinalists during Saturday night's event, televised on WSET (Channel 13).

New to the state association, but not to the world of Virginia pageantry, is Mark Schreier, Miss Virginia's new producer and director. Schreier previously served as executive producer and director of the Miss Roanoke Valley pageant. It was Schreier's idea to integrate online voting into the competition this year.

This year marks the 55th year the Miss Virginia Pageant will be held in Roanoke, but there is no Miss Roanoke Valley competing for the state crown.

Because of restructuring issues, the local pageant is taking a year off from the state competition. Miss Roanoke Valley will hold its pageant in the fall and return to the state pageant next summer.

But you may recognize Miss Roanoke Valley 2007, Madison Van Duyne, who is competing again this year as Miss Apple Blossom Festival. She is one of nine contestants from last year returning to the competition. The others are: Tara Wheeler, Jordan Forbes, Jessie Buckman (first runner-up 2007), Tamika Mills, Elizabeth Crot, Caressa Cameron (who captured second runner-up in 2007), Ashley Smith and Sonya Milstead.

Guests at this year's pageant include Nicole Johnson, Virginia's most recent Miss America (1999). She will be recognized Saturday night on her 10th anniversary of being crowned Miss Virginia.

Former Miss America 1987 Kellye Cash will emcee the event. Cash will perform during the televised live final on Saturday, as well as with her children on Thursday and Friday nights.

Also expect a more industrial look on the set and new audio-visual effects that will better highlight the contestants while on stage. StageSound of Roanoke is in charge of the lighting and sound.