Santa Claus will receive a Royal welcome Friday, November 29th, in Bay City’s Wenonah Park. The jolly old Saint Nick will be greeted at 7:00 p.m., by Miss Michigan, 2019, Mallory Rivard for the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting.

The 24-year-old Rivard will be in the competition to be new Miss America, 2020, during the annual pageant, December 19th, in Uncasville, Connecticut’s, Mohegan Sun Arena.

The current Miss America 2019, Nia Franklin, will crown her successor, at the end of the Miss America Pageant, televised nationally, December 19th,  on NBC.

A Bay City native, Rivard is a first grade teacher at Bay City’s MacGregor Elementary School. Rivard, a Saginaw Valley State University graduate, is currently working towards a Master’s Degree in early childhood education.

Her Social Impact Initiative, “Read to Succeed”, seeks to empower parents to read to their children to help combat the literacy crisis. Rivard is also working with the READ Association of Saginaw County.

Miss Michigan Mallory Rivard (photo courtesy of the Miss America Pageant)