The Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center sparkled with glitz and glam Saturday night as 121 contestants vied for a title in the 2024 Junior Royalty Pageant sponsored by the Florida Strawberry Festival. The six judges had their work cut out for them as contestants as young as five years old walked the stage with grace, poise and plenty of personality.
Contestants participated in one of four age categories including Baroness (5 to 6 years old), Duchess (7 to 9 years old), Princess (10 to 12 years old) and Queen (13 to 15 years old).
The pageant, emceed by the mother/daughter duo of Dr. Tandria and Calaydria Callins, included a preliminary competition, where each contestant was introduced and walked the stage.
Following a touching slideshow of the 2023 Junior Royalty Queen and Court (Baroness Aubrey Sweeney, Princess Giselle McDowell, Duchess Olivia McDowell and Queen Madelynn Hardwick), the field of contestants was narrowed down to 10 finalists in each age category. Contestants were judged on personality (30 percent of total score), stage presence (30 percent of total score) and overall beauty (40 percent of total score). Finalists in each category included:
Baroness: Bailey Harper, Ava Grace Robinson, Jade Loyd, Piper Timian, Jessi Lunsford, Camdyn Rae Waters, Blakely Grace Burney, Caydence Grace Brown, Nicole Elise Hotchkiss, Reagan Causey
Duchess: Harper Grace Barr, Berley Olivia Neary, Kezley Salinas, Tiftyn Raelynn Gill, Adalynn Swartz, Vada June Hoyt, Lillian Grace Jones, Alani Pouncy, Charleigh Rae Harris, Brooklyn Marie Wood
Princess: Ava Rose Bikowski, Dylan Jane Hunt, Avery Rose Richey, Rowan Ashford Morgan, Paisley Grace Glass, Kinsley Smythe, Sutton Kaye Duncan, Shyla Stanaland, Khloe Kay Carter, Brylee Nicole Martinez
Queen: Bella Grace Bikowski, Olivia Lawton, Hayven LeeAnn Harrell, Kendall James Castine, Brooke Sidnei Browning, Alleigh Lynn Goff, Micah Joylynn Duncan, Ivy Belle Garner, Trista Maye Azeltine, Kennedy Iris Duncan
Each finalist then answered an on-stage interview question: “This year the Florida Strawberry Festival is celebrating 89 years. If you could go back in time and witness the festival in a different year, when would that be and why?” Answers got contestants nostalgic as they reminisced about past festivals attended with family and friends, the foods eaten and memories made. Some contestants wished they could travel back to the 2009 festival when Taylor Swift performed (many contestants proudly asserted they’re “Swifties”) while others wished they could travel way back to 1930 to witness the crowning of the first Florida Strawberry Festival Queen.
Some contestants wished to see family members participating in the festival. “I’d go back to 1989 when my dad was a contestant in the baby parade,” said contestant Reagan Causey. “I heard they were showcasing dinosaurs back then.”
The Queen finalists weren’t given a preselected question. Each contestant drew one of three questions from a bowl.
Contestant Brooke Sidnei Browning answered the question “Why do the festival’s 600,000 visitors keep coming back?”
“It’s our volunteers, the welcoming feeling keeps them coming back,” she said. “It’s more of a lifestyle.”
Contestant Micah Joylynn Duncan echoed her remarks. “It’s all thanks to the people behind the scenes,” she said. “They work hard all year long to make sure the festival is the best of the best.”
After the interview questions, each group was narrowed down to five court members and from each group a winner and first maid was chosen.
The court members in each age group are:
Baroness: Piper Timian, Camdyn Rae Waters, Caydence Grace Brown, Nicole Elise Hotchkiss, Reagan Causey
Duchess: Berley Olivia Neary, Kezley Salinas, Adalynn Swartz, Vada June Hoyt, Charleigh Rae Harris
Princess: Ava Rose Bikowski, Dylan Jane Hunt, Rowan Ashford Morgan, Avery Rose Richey, Khloe Kay Carter
Queen: Bella Grace Bikowski, Brooke Sidnei Browning, Alleigh Lynn Goff, Micah Joylynn Duncan, Ivy Belle Garner
Each group stood anxiously onstage as the winners were announced, which included: Baroness Regean Causey (6) and First Maid Camdyn Rae Waters, Duchess Kezley Salinas (8) and First Maid Charleigh Rae Harris, Princess Ava Bikowski (11) and First Maid Khloe Kay Carter and Queen Brooke Sidnei Browning (15) and First Maid Micah Joylynn Duncan.
Browning was stunned when she was announced as the winner. “I’ve been doing this pageant since I was five years old and this was my last year to participate and the only year I was drawn for the Queen division,” she said.
Browning wore a green Sherri Hill gown that her older sister Paige Zarecour wore when she was a contestant in 2021. While there were several dresses she could choose from, and encouragement from friends and family to wear another one, she was adamant that the gown, which had been passed down to them from another pageant family, was the dress for her. “Paige wore that dress her last year of Junior Royalty so Brooke wanted it to be her last dress too,” said Jessica Taylor, Brooke’s mother.
This year, Brooke’s two younger sisters, Drew (7) and Reese (5) Taylor, also competed in the pageant but neither made the top 10. That didn’t stop the girls from celebrating their sister’s victory. “They cannot believe their sister is a Queen,” said Taylor.
2023 Queen Madlynn Hardwick offered words of advice for the new Queen and court. “Live in the moment and cherish every single minute of it,” she said. “It’s the best opportunity with the best girls.”
Browning and her court can be seen at the Florida Strawberry Festival as well as community events throughout the year.