Abigail Powell, center left, the 2019 Miss Blueberry Queen passes the crown to the 2021 Miss Blueberry Queen Jaela Faulkner
ARGOS – On Saturday, the festivities for the 2021 Blueberry Festival officially kicked off with the 2021 Miss Blueberry Festival Scholarship Pageant. This year’s theme was “Faith, Family, Farming.”
Prior to the evening, each of the ten contestants met with the judges for a “Personal Interview” which counted for 40 percent of their score. Contestants were asked to create an outfit that reflected the theme and was worn during the Theme Wear portion. Theme Wear amounted to 30 percent of the score. The remaining 30 percent of the score was from the Formal Wear and On-Stage Question portion where contestants were judged not only on their dress but also on their poise and ability to think on their feet. Questions ranged in topics.
Once those scores were tabulated, the ten contestants were cut down to five top finalists. The top five finalists were: Delanie Groves, Jaela Faulkner, Alyxa Viers, Ivy Powell, and Kendall Carnes. Those finalists were placed in a room and brought out individually to answer the question “If you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be and why?”
Awards for the night were as follows:
- Queen: Jaela Faulkner was awarded with the crown, sash, flowers, crystal bowl, Blueberry necklace, portrait, and a $1,250 scholarship.
- 1st Runner Up: Ivy Powell was awarded with a sash, flowers, crystal bowl, and a $750 scholarship.
- 2nd Runner Up: Delanie Groves was awarded with a sash, flowers, crystal bowl, and a $500 scholarship.
- Miss Friendship 2021: Elle Houin was awarded with a sash, flowers, crystal heart bowl, and $100 cash.
- Best Interview: Ivy Powell was awarded with $200 cash.
- Best Portrayed Theme: Jaela Faulkner was awarded with $100 cash.
- Best Gown: Jaela Faulkner was awarded with $100 cash.
Contestants posing during the theme wear competition.
