Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Forest Festival queen contest Saturday night

Candidates for the 16th Annual Forest Festival Beauty Pageant have turned in entries, and are ready to confirm the speculation that Gurdon area girls are among the prettiest in the state.

The annual Forest Festival Beauty Pageant will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, in the high school cafetorium.

Billy Wells, of Billys Main Street Florist, and Elaine Halliday, are co-chairing the event.

Wells brought information Friday indicating there will be seven candidates for Queen this year.

They are: Callie King, Samantha Sistrunk, Destiny Talley, Jennifer Hopson, Krissi Davies, Haley McClure and Racheal McClure.

In the Princess category (ages 13-15) of contestants for 2005, the group includes: Madison Brady, Jesi Woolf, Cassie Carter, Regan Renfro, Alyssa Watson and Haley Drake.

For Junior Miss (9-12), the contestants are: Stephanie Krueger, Rachel Pierce, Haley Cordero and Faith Ledbetter.

For Little Miss (6-8), contestants are: Michaelynn Rogers, Alexis Rutherford, Olivia Moore, Callie White, Sarah Saunders, Jaimee Lockwood, Jaycee Jester and Ashton Hughes.

And finally, in the Tiny Miss (3-5) category, the field of 2005 candidates includes: Mia Woodley, Rachel Ledbetter, Gracie Jester, Addison Rutherford and Gabriella Gonzales.

According to Halliday, candidates for the Queen position, and for the younger beauty categories, will rehearse from 9-11:30 a.m. in the high school cafetorium, on the day of the event.

Wells said, in specific, the rehearsals will start with Tiny Miss (9-9:30 a.m.), then make way for the Little Miss contestants (9:30-10 a.m.), with the Junior Miss contestants next (10-10:30 a.m.), followed by the Princess contestants (10:30-11 a.m.), and the queen candidates (11-11:30 a.m.).

Tickets are $5 and must be bought before the night of the pageant at Billys Main Street Florist, in with Kuhns Hardware.

Wells said Gurdon girls play a major roll in the pageant, but it is actually for all Clark County girls, between the ages of 3 and 18.

There are five categories; the Tiny Miss, the Little Miss, Junior Miss, Princess and Queen.

The master of ceremonies said the pageant traditionally has approximately 35 contestants. The number of entries turned in by Friday, Sept. 16, is 30.

The ladies are judged according to their beauty on stage. Wells said there are three judges, always from out of town.

The winners of the pageant will appear in cars, during the Forest Festival Parade. The parade has tentatively been scheduled for 9 a.m. on the day of the festival in downtown Gurdon.

The years Forest Festival will be the 25th annual event, lasting all day and into the night, on Saturday, Oct. 29.

"Come on Saturday, Sept. 24 and watch the 2004 winners give up their crowns," Wells said.

The outgoing, 2004 Forest Festival Queen is Heather Drake, who was also Miss Photogenic. Her first runner-up, Ashley Floyd, and second runner-up, Krissi Davies, will also give up their crowns.

Floyd was last years interview winner.

As to the 2004 princess category, Codie Golden took all of the honors. She was selected as Princess for 2004, won Miss Photogenic and won the interview contest.

First runner-up was Jesi Woolf, with Aaren Crew receiving second runner-up.

As to the Junior Miss category, Megan Trout took all of the honors. She was Junior Miss 2004, as well as Miss Photogenic. The first runner-up position went to Mindi Jester, and the second runner-up was Madison Brady.

On the Little Miss results, it was Kristian Starns in 2004, whole Hayle White got Miss Photogenic. First runner-up was Olivia Grace Moore and Krista Harper was second runner-up.

On the Tiny Miss for Forest Festival 2004, the winner was Peyton Bradshaw, with Sidney Kuykendall as first runner-up and Kayna Kuykendall as second runner-up. Bradshow was also Miss Photogenic.

When the 2005 selections occur on Sept. 24, the girls mentioned will be invited to be on hand to turn over their crowns.

Winners for 2005, runners-up and Miss Photogenics, will be invited to ride in the parade.