Funny Festival Queens

Pageant culture is alive and well in the south. We actually did a whole episode on the azalea trail maids of Mobile, AL. and how Junior Miss was born out of that tradition. Almost every festival has a queen or a quart of royalty from babies to adults represented. We are coming into the spring and summer festival season. So today we wanted to talk about some of these festival queens and the unlikely titles these chosen Royals carry. Meet you at the table

I'm Lainie, and I'm Laura Beth,and we are Steel Magnolias,

the strength of steel with the grace of a magnolia.

We are here to have uplifting conversations about life in the south.

And we've got plenty of room at our table. So pull up a chair

Welcome back to your weekly dose of southern culture. You're on the Steel Magnolias podcast. We are in the middle of festival season. Yeah, deep in the south here, and it's about to get hot. So a lot of festivals actually have happened in late March early April. Trying to get in that milder weather. And it's starting to feel feel warm, fast. But, you know, pageantry, as you said, in your intro is a integral part of many festivals that we have in the south It is funny that we have all of these various age representations of Queens and princesses.

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Why do you think that is? Why do you think we put pulled in about sounded really country? Why do you think we pulled in the just that element of having a queen or a royal core as part of some of these more just street festivals?

It is a good question. I'm not sure where all of that started. I mean, certainly Mardi Gras is old and has always had like a court. Okay, you know, kind of a thing. I don't know, I think southerners are they do have an esteem for manners and etiquette. So maybe there's something to do with that of like, trying to raise kids up with something to esteem to maybe that's a good thought, I don't know. And then, you know, of course, you hope it's not just straight up beauty pageant, that there's also some,

Interviews and such. Yes and there's a scholarship component to some of them. So they are looking for some, you know, well roundedness in general, and somebody that's wanting to further their education or go into a field of study that maybe that has to do with the festival, agriculture or something like that.

Another thing I noticed, as I was doing my research on this is a lot of these festivals are around something in that's, you know, maybe like a whole a particular industry. Yeah, that a state is wanting to kind of celebrate and spread the word across more of the region. Makes sense. What they do make sense. So that makes sense to that they would want representation on a queen or somebody who can be out speaking on their behalf. Yeah,

yeah, that's easy, like a built in spokesperson. That's right. 

Well, before we jump into some of the specifics that we're going to talk about funny festivals and the Queen's and courts that they carry. We wanted to thank our partner orca coolers right here out in Nashville, Tennessee. We've partnered with them this month as they have released the brand new drink where the Orca traveler and the Orca camper are both available now. And we have a set that we're giving away on our Instagram account in just a couple of days. So you still if you're listening to this the day really good time to jump in. You can go over to our Instagram at Steel Magnolias podcast and look for a very cute picture of us holding that 

new drinkware and those are the ones that we'll be giving away. But I already started using the camper which is imagine a coffee mug that's double walled and vacuum sealed seamless, real pretty designed with that wonderful handle with the handle and of course the the top that makes it so secure to keep your hot hot and your cold cold. And I just love it. I mean it's just so awesome to be able to sit my coffee cup around my house where I the way I do and it sits there for 30 minutes before I even realized that I didn't finish it and it's still hot. So we are very excited about all of the drinkware that orca carries. And this is just great new addition. So, check them out. We'll put a link to them in our show notes if you want to see some of the products that they offer and go into our Instagram giveaway. Okay, let's dive into some funny festival queens. Let's

do it. 

Have you ever heard of the rattlesnake rodeo festival?

No one would be scared to go I would too actually.

Well it's an Opp, AL. Who's down with OPP? Opp is south of Montgomery west of Dothan. So pretty far down in the state.   Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are I guess, prevalent in that area. So the Jaycees started making this festival an annual event they do have a whole court represented in various age groups:  the tiny miss, the little miss, the Junior Miss and the teen Miss. So all ages from six to eight is the youngest and 18 to 21 is the actual Miss Rattlesnake rodeo queen.

I wonder if she has to like engage with a rattlesnake, like what is the rattlesnake interaction happening at this

festival? Are you ready for this? They have snake races and they cook snakes. Do snakes go fast enough to have a race? I guess some of them do, which really only just added to my fear of snakes the fact that they might be able to go fast. There is a Buck dancing contest, which we talked about that early on in our southern dancing episode.  They have some entertainment with even bands and country music artists from Nashville. So, anyhow fun and scary. What a title to carry the rattlesnake rodeo queen. 

Well, I saw that, you know, again, like maybe it's not as extreme funny as that. But still when you think about being in a pageant, it's still kind of funny to be the corn queen. So, the Louisiana corn festival is in Bunkie, Louisiana, which is really almost in the middle of the state. And the 34th annual Louisiana Corn Festival will be held June 9 10th and 11th. So you could still go to that one. So the festival is held every year the second full weekend in June, the festival slogan is “Aw, Shucks” originated in 1986 and is still the only Corn Festival in the state of Louisiana. So the contestants in the pageant are judged on beauty, poise, personality, presentation and overall experience. They have to be a resident of Louisiana obviously and they have to have extensive knowledge of the Corn Festival and the city of Bunkie.

Okay, there again they want to be somebody representing them well.  Yes, the contestants and parents must present exemplary “lady like” that's in quotes lady like behavior leading up to the pageant practice interview and during the pageant including all social media aspects. Oh there are so she cracked me up that's right that that has to be added or Lady likeness better come through on your social media. Yeah, yeah. Or start deleting some posts. So once you've application has been submitted.  A scandal that happened, got that added on.

So they have a $1,000 scholarship that's up for grabs, which is fantastic. And their age divisions are 11 through 22. So 11 To 1314 to 16 and then 17 to 22 Okay, but they have some commitments you forget it's not just the crowning moment of glory there's commitments of in person events and earning your scholarship. Miss Louisiana corn has to attend 30 festivals and all parish events that are held within that time. You know, Louisiana like parishes, right? So and then Miss Queen will compete at the Louisiana affair. So I'm sure that's like, also its own sort of fun to see the culmination of all of these festival Queens coming together

out of Louisiana. May I I'm going to mention one now that may be competing against the corn queen. Oh wow the fair. And that is the bro bridge crawfish festival.

Okay, is that a city name, Breaux?

Breaux Bridge. Okay, yes.It's just northeast of Lafayette. This festival began in 1960. That's a long time ago when the Louisiana legislature had just named Breaux Bridge, the crawfish capital of the world. In 1959. They began this festival, which is now known apparently around the country and even the world. Oh, I personally had never heard of it. But, after reading about it, it's on my list of want to hit festivals.  It is the first weekend of May. Okay, So if you're interested, you can still hit this one. It's become one of the largest gatherings in the world of famous Cajun musicians. Oh, so lively and fun. So you can hear authentic Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop music, which I've never heard of swamp pop. But does that not sound intriguing? Yeah,

I mean really might be on Spotify later looking at swamp pop.

They have a whole court that has a crawfish King a crawfish queen. You know the junior crawfish Queen, the little miss, the master pincher which is a boy is that not the cute? It’s every boy's dream master pincher. Oh my gosh, that's hilarious.

The baby pincher, which is age zero months to 47 months all contestants must reside in Louisiana. But I thought what a fun festival! That sounds awesome. Since the cajuns know how to party, that would be a really fun one.

Okay, since you've you've opened the swamp can, I’ll jump in on that. This is not Louisiana, but it is another area of swamp-in South Carolina, the Puddin swamp festival. Oh

my gosh, Puddin with no G.  Yeah, no G.  In fact, in my notes I actually could not autocorrect enough like it just kept wanting to put that G in there. No, it's the Puddin swamp festival. So it is in Turbaville, South Carolina, it's inland. It's kind of between Columbia, South Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. So this is, you know, I'm gonna just kind of go from the website because who says it better than that? That's right. So in the fall of 2007, a group of community leader leaders gathered at the Turbaville Town Hall on Green Street to begin working on a festival for Turbaville. I hope I'm saying that right. The festival would be in April of 2008. And it would become an annual tradition known as the Puddin Swamp Festival, named for what the Turbaville area was originally referred to as. So that's like the original name of this area. So they have been doing this since 2008. And the pageant is one of the main portions of the Puddin swamp festival. And I just thought it was really cute the way the schedule is, I mean, be ready for everything, anything and everything. So I'm talking like high school choirs, maybe that's something you would expect at a festival to bait casting contests. Okay. And then my favorite was that DJ Carolina Cruisin was going to close out the conclusion of the beauty contest. So I'm not familiar with DJ Carolina Crusin. But that sounds fun. That's how they closed it out. So it actually already happened. It was earlier in April. So sorry if that sounds so fun that you want to go put it on your list for next year. They have been going since 2008. So I think there's gonna it'll, it'll be an annual thing.

Well, Vidalia, Georgia is known for their wonderfully sweet, so yummy onion. Yes. And there's the Vidalia onion festival. It was actually just this past weekend, but it's southeast of Atlanta, south of Augusta. And it's the celebration of the wonderful onion from the area. I was a little surprised to read it's been recognized as one of the five don't miss festivals across the US by MSNBC and the Southeast tourism society top 20 event.

I don't know it sounds like they got it going on down there. But they have a whole royal court as well. glitz and pageantry from all ages represented. In fact, I even found, you know, pictures of the winners because the winners are deemed before the festival. Yes, that’s the case. Yeah. So she could be a part of the festival in her crown.

And like I said, with many of these there then expected to kind of be spokesperson for the Vidalia onion throughout the state events.

So this was the 45th annual I'm not sure if you already said that. But that's a lot of years to have been having a festival and this year Kelly Anderson will wear the crown over the over to the Vidalia onion festival and promote the Vidalia onion throughout the year. Like you said, she has a message for anyone who's never been to the festival. Okay. “People should definitely come to the festival. It's a lot of fun. It's also important that people come to know the economic impact the Vidalia onion has on our region and why we celebrate it each year.” Okay, and then Malia Pittman is the 2022 teen Miss Vidalia onion. And she said of the honor that it means to her “I'm so excited. She exclaimed. It's like I'm dreaming and I just am waiting to wake up wearing the crown of Miss Teen Vidalia onion really means a lot to me.” How sweet so I mean, it's precious- they are full of pride with their new title.

Oh, yes. We don't know the doors of opportunity that this actually does open up to them or even just in building confidence. Yeah, the internship it takes them to in meeting somebody or just get used to talking to adults in different ways. 

Well, I let the calendar Get away from me. I'm not sure if I could have made it or not, but I'm sort of bummed. We missed the Cornbread Festival just down in South Pittsburgh. This past weekend near Chattanooga. We've mentioned before on here, the beauty that is Lodge cast iron lodge made manufactured right outside of Chattanooga in South Pittsburgh. They have an awesome factory outlet there if you are ever in the area you can stop in during their store hours and buy things from there even if you don't need cast iron, it’s just good kitchen stuff. So they are the main sponsor of the Cornbread Festival, rightly so, which is held there in South Pittsburgh. But they have a queen that represents the festival throughout the year Miss National Cornbread queen is in the oldest age group receives a $300 cash prize there's also a cash prize for the winner in each group. And attire is Southern/Countrywear or Sunday best/Easter dress.

Oh that's cute. No formalwear allowed

I love it. Get your gingham sundress on!

Yeah, that's more fitting I think to these kinds of festival. Yeah, so I thought that was really fun. Now, but don't go Daisy Duke on them because you gotta be lady like! Sunday dress.

So I'll go ahead and say congratulations to Cassie Jo Nugent. The 2022 Miss National Cornbread Queen You go girl, you did it.

I want to know what she wore. Hey, find us on Instagram. I'll dig up a picture of her and posted on this week.

Awesome. Well, Georgia also has a peach festival. Oh, classic. Yes, of course. There. It's split between two cities that are just 15 minutes apart. I thought that was kind of funny. Like, oh, kinda for their churches for valley and Byron. So that's both our Southwest of Macon east of Columbus southeast of Atlanta. Okay. It's been going for 36 years and it's a June festival so you can still jump into the Georgia peach festival if you like but they also do the whole pageantry with the tiny Miss through the miss. So so so ages four to 24 represented in these different categories.

I feel like you would have a persuasion to wear peach. That color Yes, yeah. Yeah. I don't know if anybody does that. But just when you said that I was already imagining peach formal wear Well, which doesn't look good on everybody. So I'm not recommending that actually. You know,

I wouldn't have thought that that would be a good color on me but I often get compliments when I wear peach. I thought I was more of a winter because that they used to put you in seasons, the jewel tone kind of wintry colors were my best. But I think spring is the color that peach falls in. Yeah, and I think I don't know. I do okay in peach but peach formalwear though… that sounds like you gotta get a spray tan! Gotta gotta. You're so right. Well, do you have any others?

I had one other in my notes. It's already happened but the sea and sand Festival at Folly Beach.

Oh, love Folly Beach. Folly Beach is such a fun surf town. They've got some just like, I mean, dive bar sorts. Have

you ever seen the Tides Hotel? Yeah, so they do a sand castle building contest. And those were the pictures that I loved of like, sand castles big sea turtles and other pretty things. I thought that would be a fun thing to see. But they have a queen as well.The only other one I had my notes. See, that seems like that would be a high competition spot because there's some fit people that live in that area. Because they surf. There's lots of just people riding their bike to get to and from this just a very athletic and outdoorsy. Lots of coastal places are, right? Yeah, that might be kind of competitive over there versus some of these inland sort of swamp places that we've talked about.

Well, there’s even just general funny festivals too that maybe don't have a pageantry associated with and that is another episode.I actually have some notes on some that we're going to use for future content for sure. So that's going to happen that's coming. Wait for it. Yeah, we'll definitely do that. But

our good friend, Jason Gilbreath was telling me about a couple of ones that he thought were funny and I put that in my notes as a future subject.

Well, we have a Facebook group that is Steel magnolias and we put out the question, do we have any festival queens in our midst? So if you aren't in our Facebook group and enjoy Facebook, you should find us there at Steel magnolias podcast, but I thought this was so fun. So Rebecca said that her roommate in college was the cotton queen, and that her suite mate was the soybean queen. Okay, Allison's mom is in Chattanooga and she was the cotton ball princess in 1970. Hey, so that sounds like a fun title-cotton ball princess. So

fun. Well, I got looking again at the azalea trail maids website while I was doing my research, and that is just something else. That whole culture around Mobile and how they represent all over the country. It really is pretty awesome. If you want to know more about that you should listen to our episode on the azalea trail maids. That was fascinating. Because I mean, we talked at length about the cost to amuse the storage even required for a dress that's that large, huge and yeah, if that's true. I'll put that in the show notes. 

So Well, we hope that you guys have a great week. And like I said, if you haven't already go find us on Instagram, join our contests for the Orca drink ware we'll be giving that away this week.

Well, you're such a great co host and editor I wish I had a sash I would just right now deem you the Magnolia Queen.

I will take it, that would be my first pageant. Crown and sash. So thank you. I receive that.

And with that I'll say peace be with you, Laura Beth.  And also with y’all!