Three Festival Queens to be crowned this weekend

As the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition moves into high gear, three additional parish queens will be crowned this weekend.

Talented, intelligent, and culturally aware young women from Hanover, Clarendon, and Manchester will earn the right to represent their parish at the national finals, which are set for August 2 at the Independence Village inside the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.

Hanover's coronation will take place on Saturday, at Rusea's High School in Lucea. Eight contestants are slated to compete for the crown and succeed Sornia Samuels, who received the sectional award for Most Congenial at last year's national finals. The contestants are: Michaela McNab representing Tano Trucking Services, Dajae Taylor for JDA Shipping and Construction, Tashanikie Walker for Deveena's Final Touch Beauty Palace, Renece Green for ICWI, Shianna McLaren for Top Shipping, Ashley-Nicole Lawrence for Tan Tan Sweet Bites, Callicia Hines for Cousin's Cove Adventure Park, and Renecia Bernard representing LYL Ultrasound.

Also on Saturday, Clarendon will host its coronation at Glenmuir High School in May Pen, starting at 8 p.m. Jenicia Jones, the reigning queen, will hand over the crown to one of seven contestants. The participants are: Christeen Forbes representing Cousins Construction Services Limited, Joan McKenzie for Worldnet Microfinance Limited, Marsha Matthews for Eagle Swift Security Services Limited, Zantaye Thomas for Mack Chem Trading and Distribution Limited, Shantel C. Powell for National Self Serve Wholesale Limited, Rhaveen Kildare for George Clue and Associates, and Clevena Brown for Serenity Resource Connector.

On Sunday, the spotlight shifts to Manchester, where the coronation will be held at Belair High School in Mandeville, beginning at 7 p.m. Shonnoya Houston, who placed second at last year's national finals, will pass on her title to one of seven contestants. Competing for the 2025 crown are Anthonia Dixon representing CourierJamaica.com, Danita Antonia Crawford for Manchester Co-operative Credit Union Limited, Deneila Wright for S & G Road Surfacing Materials Ltd, Gabrielle Davis for C & D Construction and Engineering, Kareen Thompson for Heaven's Fesco, Omelia Johnson for Cameron Industries Limited, and Renese Francis for Gateway Pharmacy.

The coronation season continues on June 21 with the parishes of St Elizabeth and Trelawny, followed by St Ann and St Catherine on June 22.

The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition began in 1963 as the Miss Jamaica Beauty Contest, but in 1975 it shifted focus to emphasise cultural awareness. Over the decades, it has grown into the premier platform for young Jamaican women to showcase their intellect, poise, and commitment to national development.