Victoria Hall is Sequim’s newest queen.
She was selected to lead this year’s royalty for the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s 121st year.
Judges chose Hall on Feb. 13 at the 39th annual Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Royalty Pageant from a group of eight contestants. She’s joined by Princesses Tatum Jensen, Hailey Kapetan and Dana Nguyen.
“It means a lot to me to be a royal and represent my town,” Hall said. “I’ve dreamed about it my entire life.”
Through the year they’ll represent Sequim at several events and parades including the Irrigation Festival from May 6-15.
To win, each contestant was chosen on scores from judges’ interviews on Feb. 11 and creative displays, impromptu questions and their evening gown presentations at the pageant.
For their displays, Hall, also who was crowned Miss Congeniality, sang “You Belong in Sequim,” a parody of Taylor Swift’s song “You Belong with Me,” and Jensen performed a cheer dance, Kapetan played the marimba and Nguyen performed a stand-up comedy routine.
Hall said all of the competitors are great girls and that “the judges had the toughest decision. It must have come to the nitty gritty.”
Other competitors included Alison Cobb, Stephanie Grow, Danica Miller and Jaycee Thompson-Porrazzo.
Along with serving as queen, Hall will appear in the operetta “Cinderella” during the festival at Sequim High School from May 6-7, 12-14 and 19-21. Hall’s mother, Robin, who directs the musical, was selected festival queen in 1982.
In the coming year, the royalty will help Hall with her platform to advocate for Native American education in Sequim schools.
At the pageant, the 2016 Junior Royalty was crowned, which includes third-graders Owen Douglas and Michaela Green from Greywolf Elementary, and Marshall Phipps and Logen Watkins from Helen Haller Elementary.
Last year’s royalty, Queen Megan O’Mera and Princesses Morgan King, Emily Larson and Amanda Sanders, also bid adieu through song and an audio display.
The Irrigation Festival’s next event, the Kick-Off Dinner & Auction, begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at 7 Cedars Casino. Cost is $65 before March 14 and $80 afterward at RE/MAX Prime, Sound Community Bank, Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce and First Federal Sequim.
For more information on the festival, visit www.irrigationfestival.com.
