Glitter, glitz and gowns lined the stage at Missouri Western State University as the 2011 Apple Blossom Pageant crowned three Apple Blossom royals Saturday.
Nerves ran high as young girls and teens primped before walking across Potter Hall stage at Missouri Western Saturday evening.
The stage was slightly different this year after a fire closed the Missouri Theater, but Michelle Wolfe, executive director of Apple Blossom, felt glad the contests continued.
“There are nine girls in the queen (contest), 19 in the junior (queen contest), and 26 in the princess (contest),” Ms. Wolfe said, explaining that all crowned winners will ride in the Apple Blossom parade May 7. “We had our little glitches, but everything went fine (at Missouri Western.)”
Three judges watched as contestants walked on stage, adorned with smiles, and read a speech. Addressing the theme, ‘Cruzin‘ thru the Decades,’ pageant contestants answered random questions from the master of ceremonies.
“If I could have lunch with anyone, it would be Justin Bieber,” said Alexys Minton, 9, as she answered the princess question, If you could have lunch with anyone? “He started out a small-town boy and ended up a pop sensation. He showed me that anything can happen if you set your mind to it.”
After roughly an hour of competition, Gabriella Higgins, 9, won the crown as princess. Preceding the princess competition, Rylan McClurg, 13, received the title of junior queen.
Queen contestants danced down the isles of the theater shortly before they introduced themselves to audience members and judges. Contestants later changed into an outfit from a decade in the 1900s that they would like to revisit.
The young ladies then changed into their decade attire, contestants paraded the stage in evening gowns and answered various questions asked by the pageant emcee. Shortly after the question/answer session, Blayre Helm, 16, won Apple Blossom Queen.
“Everyone was really good and did a really good job,” Blayre said, adding that she was extremely nervous. “I was just hoping I didn’t shake really bad.”
Kristin Hoppa can be reached at kristin.hoppa@newspressnow.com.
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