Competition started tonight at the Miss California Pageant.

Miss Sonoma County Sara Choi, who's pictured here, won the night's talent competition with a killer performance on the violin.

Miss Hollywood Jackie Geist won the night's evening wear competition.

The first night had one technical glitch. Something went wrong with the sound system when Miss San Mateo County Ruth Gonzalez was trilling her way through an opera number. She kept singing, but got a do over.

Best moment of the evening: Miss Fullerton Lexy Romano showed some humor when she was asked
what one issue she would address to make the world a better place. She paused, laughed as if to acknowledge she was about to serve up a beauty pageant cliche and answered, "I would love to say, 'World peace.' " The audience laughed with her, and then she gave another answer.

Competition continues Thursday night.