Move over strawberries, there’s a new fruit in town — the blueberry. As part of Keel and Curley Winery’s Blueberry Festival, the first annual Blueberry Festival Pageant will be hosted April 13. The next live sign ups will be at the winery, Feb. 23.
“It’s just going to be a fun, fun pageant,” organizer Julie Hasting said.
The pageant is also part of a campaign for childhood-cancer awareness. As an elementary student with cancer, contestant Morgan Pierce has become an integral part of the pageant. She wants to act as an advocate for cancer and will be made an honorary blueberry princess.
“We wanted to honor her not because she has cancer, but because she doesn’t let it stop her,” Hasting said. “She’s done the Junior Royalty pageant and now this.”
A portion of the proceeds will go to Morgan’s foundation. She has a cookbook she wants to sell at the pageant.
In addition to the blueberry princess title, there are seven age categories with a queen and first maid winners in each category: Mini Blueberry Bud, 3- and 4-year olds; Tiny Miss, 5- and 6-year olds; Little Miss, 7- to 9-year-olds; Pre-Teen, 10- to 12-year-olds; Junior, 13- to 15-year olds; Teen 16- to 18-year olds; and Miss, 19- to 23-year-olds.
Each contestant is required to submit a “non-glitz” photograph with her application. The photograph will be used to judge “most photogenic” in each age division.
The pageant will consist of 60-second opening introductions of each contestant, an evening-gown portion and on-stage questions. For the younger divisions, 3- to 12-year-olds, the question will be the same. For the older divisions, contestants will pick their questions from a fish bowl.
The contestants will be judged on poise and grace on stage, natural beauty, overall appearance, introduction and the on-stage question. Judges will be from out of town.
“It’s not all about beauty,” organizer Brigittia Long said. “They need to be able to speak well and have confidence.”
Each girl will get a crown, T-shirt and goodie bag for participating.
“If they have the courage to be there and compete, they should get something,” Hasting said. “We feel like every child is a winner, so we want to give them a winning gift.”
This is the sixth annual Blueberry Festival, but Clay Keel, the events and marketing manager for the winery, had wanted to do a blueberry pageant for the past few years.
“I thought, ‘What would I name them? Miss Keel and Curley? Everyone is usually named after a state or city,” Long said. “Then I said, ‘We’re going to just do it, we’re going to give them a Blueberry Queen.’”
The Blueberry Queens will have to make an appearance at the Blueberry Festival, April 27 and April 28.
Sponsors that have stepped up to give prizes include Anna Maria Island Resort, Busciglio Smiles, Kendall Nickerson Photography and Chili’s, but Long and Hasting are still looking for more.
Hasting and Long both have daughters who participate in pageants. Long has been a Miss USA Florida preliminary director.
LIVE SIGN-UPS
When: 1 to 6 p.m. April 13
Where: Keel and Curley Winery, 5202 W. Thonotosassa Road
Cost: $40 You can also access the application online at keelandcurleywinery.com/ blueberryfestival/royalty/
