Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
Julie-Ann Ellis (centre), Miss Kingston and St. Andrew Festival Queen 2006, with second runner-up Dahlia Campbell (left) and fist runner-up Margaret Thatcher Walker. - PHOTO BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE LOUISE Bennett Garden Theatre erupted in periodic bursts of excitement at the Kingston and St. Andrew finals of the 2006 Festival Queen competition last Sunday.
Ten young women vied for the opportunity to represent their parish in the grand finals on July 16.
The show opened with a very entertaining number. Clad in a very colourful pink and yellow skirts with white shirts tied in front, twirled their umbrellas to the Supremes' You Can't Hurry Love. They were accompanied by the Junior Wolmer's dance troupe.
As each contestant introduced herself, it was obvious who the favourites were. Twenty-three-year-old Dahlia Campbell had the loudest cheering section that even brought their banner. Twenty-two-year-old Kerry Crawford, 18-year-old Margaret Walker and Julie Ellis was among the favourites.
The talent pieces were all exceptional. From songs to monologues, demonstrations to duppy stories, it was anybody's title.
The top five were: Kerry Crawford, Valencia Ellington, Dahlia Campbell, Julie-Ann Ellis and Margaret Thatcher Walker.
The crowd's response guided the night's tempo. After the interview section it was obvious that some of the contestants had lost their following as they stumbled and sometimes fell over questions that focused on encouraging the youth, HIV/AIDS, to combating Jamaica's negative international image.
In the end, the task of keeping this year's title in Kingston fell to Julie-Ann Ellis. She was also most culturally aware and best poised. Second runner-up was Dahlia Campbell, who shared the title of Most Congenial with Valcia Ellington, and first runner-up went to Margaret Thatcher Walker.
