Eight George Town beauties, pictured right, will be competing for the Miss George Town Festival Queen crown on 17 September.

The competition, to be held at George Town Central Park, Scranton, is open to ladies of 12 years old and above. The winner will represent George Town in the Miss Festival Queen Competition finals, scheduled for Thursday 10 November on the waterfront, George Town, the day before the official kick-off of Pirates Week.

This year, each district’s Heritage Day Committee will be responsible for selecting their own Festival Queen, who will enter the national competition and will also gain a place in that district’s float parade.

The George Town competition will be divided into four parts, says organiser Dwight McLean. “There will be an opening dance with stingray costumes, followed by a ‘Tribute to George Town Heroes’. Then there will be another costume section, this time with a Cayman Orchid theme, followed by a fashion show,” Mr. McLean said.

Pat Bazell-Taylor from the Pirates Week Office said: “This year ‘Marine Life’ will be the theme for the Miss Festival Queen Costume Competition.”

Contestant for the George Town competition, 18-year old Nassaria Thompson said that she decided to enter after her aunt told her about it.

“I entered the Mr. and Mrs. Valentine pageant at John Gray High School, but apart from that, this will be my first pageant.

Ms. Thompson selected her great grandparents, Hubert and Maryann Ramoon, as the George Town heroes she will be speaking about, during the second section of the pageant when contestants are required to come on stage in traditional Cayman dress.

Kayla McField, one of the other contestants, said: “I am very shy so …I hope to overcome my shyness, meet more people and be able to speak out loud.

“I am looking forward to it, I know all of the other competitors except for one and I think we all have a fair chance at winning.”

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