Contestants sparkled in glittering gowns with personalities on display during on stage interviews.
Photos Courtesy of Deana Hurley
On Saturday night, the Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center hosted 120 contestants competing for titles in the 2026 Junior Royalty Pageant, sponsored by the Florida Strawberry Festival.
The pageant featured four age divisions, including Baroness (ages 5–6), Duchess (ages 7–9), Princess (ages 10–12), and Queen (ages 13–15). Miss Plant City 2025 Kaleigh Salmon and 2024 Strawberry Queen Annistyn Griffin hosted this year’s pageant, keeping spirits high and anticipation building throughout the evening.
The night began with an introduction to the 2025 Junior Royalty Court: Queen Alleigh Goff, Princess Rowen Morgan, Duchess Charleigh Harris, and Baroness Adalynn Lloyd. The four were a constant presence throughout the evening, beginning with the preliminary competition, where they guided each group of contestants onto the stage for their group presentation.
Following the group presentation, each girl stepped into the spotlight to meet the judges. The royal hopefuls made their way across the stage with poise, while Kaleigh and Annistyn introduced each contestant, sharing her name, school, and three fun facts. While each girl had different answers, there were commonalities among each group. The Baronesses loved playing with friends, the Duchesses highlighted their interests in sports, the Princesses shared their love of cheerleading, and the Queens stood out with their dedication to school clubs, giving the audience a glimpse of the personality and charm that could soon make up the Junior Royalty Court.
Once each girl was presented, a touching slideshow of the 2025 Junior Royalty Queen and Court played for the audience. Queen Alleigh Goff expressed her love for her court and thanked each one for the memories they made together over the past year. And with that, the top ten finalists in each division were announced. The judges made their decisions based on personality (30 percent of total score), stage presence (30 percent of total score), and overall beauty (40 percent of total score).
The finalists in each category included:
Baroness: Kinsley Mckay, Madalyn Lambert, Noah Keys, Roen DeVane, Lyla Howard, Kinsley Sheppard, Chloe Timian, Maisy Waters, Aspyn Moody, and Ivy Moore.
Duchess: Harper Wendt, Ava Robinson, Reagan Causey, Tinley Azeltine, Grace Pippin, Mia Navarrete, Georgia Padron, Harper Sikes, Emma Gill, and Alani Pouncy.
Princess: Ansley Judah, Georgia Hunter, Konnyr Costlow, Calleigh Welch, Piper Stevens, Emma Russell, Berkley Neary, Kimber Wright, Kaedyn Pope, and Claire Vasher.
Queen: Avery Richey, Ava Bikowski, Lily Gilboe, Josslyn Pentecost, Giselle McDowell, Raleigh Tilson, Aubrey Pentecost, Dylan Hunt, Sutton Duncan, and Addisyn Wise.
Each of the ten finalists then answered a question during an on-stage interview. For the three younger groups, the question was the same: “The theme of this year’s Festival is Still Growing. Since you are still growing, where do you see yourself in ten years?” The responses were optimistic; many predicted they’d be Strawberry Queen, while others looked forward to their future successes in college. Contestant Aspyn Moody sees herself driving to the Strawberry Festival whenever she wants to, so she can “eat all the food and ride all the rides.” Duchess finalist Georgia Padron’s dream is to grow with the festival and city she loves, “just like our strawberries, the sunshine [and] the people in this community help you get sweeter every year.”
The Queen aspirants faced a more daunting task: each had to draw their question from a bowl containing three possible questions. Contestant Raleigh Tilson was asked, “Why do you think the festival continues to grow year after year?” She answered, “Because of the strong traditions and values it was founded on.”
A few contestants after Raleigh, Dylan Hunt was asked, “How will you grow as the 2026 Junior Royalty Queen?” She replied, “By the time I pass the crown next year, I’ll be braver, kinder, and more responsible. Most of all, I want every little girl to see that wearing the crown doesn’t make you perfect. It helps you grow into the best version of yourself, one day at a time.”
After the interview questions, the ten finalists were narrowed down to five.
The final five girls in each group were:
Baroness: Kinsley Mckay, Noah Keys, Kinsley Sheppard, Aspyn Moody, and Ivy Moore.
Duchess: Reagan Causey, Grace Pippin, Georgia Padron, Harper Sikes, and Alani Pouncy.
Princess: Ansley Judah, Calleigh Welch, Emma Russell, Kaedyn Pope, and Claire Vasher.
Queen: Avery Richey, Josslyn Pentecost, Raleigh Tilson, Aubrey Pentecost, and Dylan Hunt.
A few butterflies-and-bated-breath moments later, the 2026 Junior Royalty Queen and Court were revealed:
Baroness Kinsley Sheppard
Duchess Georgia Padron
Princess Ansley Juddah
Queen Dylan Hunt
With cheers, applause, and a few happy tears, the 2026 Junior Royalty Pageant came to a close, celebrating not just the winners but the spirit, charm, and growth of every contestant who took the stage. The night reminded everyone that, much like the festival itself, these little berries are still growing and full of dreams, determination, and the promise of bright futures ahead.
