Miss USA 2006

Miss USA 2006
Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner
DateApril 21, 2006
Presenters
EntertainmentEast Village Opera Company
VenueBaltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
BroadcasterNBC, WBAL-TV
Entrants51
Placements15
WinnerTara Conner
Kentucky
CongenialityDottie Cannon
Minnesota
PhotogenicCristin Duren
Florida

Miss USA 2006 was the 55th Miss USA pageant, held at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 2006. Fifty-one state titleholders competed for the title, which was won by Tara Conner of Kentucky. Conner was crowned by outgoing titleholder Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina.

This was the second consecutive year that the pageant was held in Baltimore, although the venue changed from the Hippodrome Theater to the larger 1st Mariner Arena. Delegates arrived in the city on 2 April 2006, and were involved in three weeks of events, appearances and preliminary competitions before the final competition. This included a trip to New York City to attend a book launch for The Miss Universe Guide to Beauty and make media appearances on Regis and Kathy, The Early Show and Total Request Live.

The pageant hosts were Nancy O'Dell (who had hosted the pageant in 2004 and 2005) and Drew Lachey. For the first time Queer Eye for the Straight Guy star Carson Kressley provided commentary. Special guest performers were the East Village Opera Company.

The finals were broadcast by NBC, with 7.77 million viewers, the second-lowest viewership ever recorded.

The winner represented the United States at Miss Universe 2006 on July 23, 2006, in Los Angeles where she placed 4th Runner-up.