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Calling All Would-Be Festival Royalty

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By DAVE NICHOLSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2008

PLANT CITY The path to Florida Strawberry Festival queen sometimes begins with the Junior Royalty pageant.

Girls 5 to 15 as of Jan. 1 who are interested in competing in next year's contest need to be at the festival's expo building Nov. 17 for a mandatory meeting, when applications will be distributed. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 7. No one will be allowed to enter the building before 6:30 or after 7.

Parking will be on the north side of the administrative office at the festival, 2202 W. Reynolds St.
Each applicant will be given a registration form to be completed by the parent or legal guardian.
Applicants whose names are drawn must pay a $30 fee and be able to attend a pageant workshop on Dec. 1 at the expo building.

There will be four age divisions: Baroness, 5- and 6-year-olds; Duchess, 7- to 9-year-olds; Princess, 10- to 12-year-olds; and Queen, 13- to 15-year-olds.

Thirty contestants for each group will be chosen by a drawing.

The pageant will be held 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at Tomlin Middle School. Contestants will be judged on personality, overall appearance, natural beauty and smile.

Junior Royalty rules are available at the festival office and on the Internet at www.flstrawberryfestival.com under contest rules.

For information, call pageant chairwoman Donna Keel at (813) 754-6939 or co-chairwoman Krystal Almon at (813) 759-2827.

Winners in the Junior Royalty pageant sometimes compete in later years for strawberry festival queen, which is for young women 16 to 20.

The festival will be Feb. 26 through March 8.

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