Back in 1921, Bradley Beach began holding a series of events from July 4th through Labor Day which culminated in a Masque Fete at the La Reine Hotel. A news report from September 3, 1927 describes a crowd of 25,000 visitors lining the Boardwalk to cheer on beauty contestants of all ages and show appreciation for 350 floats.
(One has to wonder who was actually counting.) That year, Miss Rose Kiell, queen of the Mardi Gras, joined Mayor Frank C. Borden, Jr. and US Senator Edward I. Edwards at the La Reine esplanade to review the parade. These photos date back to 1924 when bath beauties did not find exposing a bit of skin to be at all shocking, and women were showing up at the polls, having earned the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920.