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Parish Festival Queens Get Ready for National Coronation
Written by: Toshiba Archer
Photo: File Photo
Wife of the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Most Hon. Lady Allen (centre), with the JCDC Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2015 contestants at King's House in July 2015. They are accompanied by JCDC Event Coordinator, Mr. Michael Nicholson (right), and Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2014, Miss Anjell Bryan (second right).
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Winners of the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen parish pageants are in training to compete for the national crown on August 1, at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, at 36 Hope Road, Kingston 10.
Events Coordinator at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Michael Nicholson, told JIS News that the parish winners are eager to take part in training, photo shoots and other activities in Kingston in preparation for the crowning.
The goal of the competition is to enable the selection of a Miss Jamaica Festival Queen who will be qualified to act as cultural ambassador for Jamaica, locally and internationally, and be an outstanding role model for other young women.
This is part of several activities to celebrate Jamaica's 54th anniversary of Independence, under the theme 'Let's get together and feel alright'.
"As part of their grooming, the contestants will also meet with dignitaries, such as the Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen; Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, and the Mayor of Kingston, Dr. Angela Brown Burke," he said.
Mr. Nicholson told JIS News that the contestants are currently involved in various pre-independence festivals in their respective parishes, which is a part of the grooming process before coming to Kingston to engage in other training and publicity activities.
"We have a wonderful bunch of talented and intelligent young ladies who are all involved in their community and are excited to take part in the activities and contest with each other," he said.
Mr. Nicholson is encouraging Jamaicans to support their parish queens by attending the coronation show, which begins at 8:00 p.m.
Some of the winners of the competition who have done well are Playwright and Communications Consultant, Dahlia Harris, who won the title in 1990; radio personality, Jennifer 'Jenny Jenny' Small, in 1995; medical doctor, Taneisha McGhie, in 2000; Aesthetician, Troy-Ann Davis, in 1998 and media specialist, Krystal Tomlinson, who won in 2013.