Six candidates run for Heritage Days’ 2012-13 royal family

The 28th Heritage Days Coronation ceremony will introduce, select and crown four new members of the city’s royal court, beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, at the Park High School auditorium in Cottage Grove.

Vying for Miss Heritage Days and Miss Heritage Days Princess are Regan Pelton, sponsored by Park Café; Leah Kellogg, sponsored by Allstate Insurance; Airianna Beard, sponsored by American Legion Post 98; and Jenna Maslowski, sponsored by Carbone’s Pizzeria.

Candidates for Junior Miss Heritage Days and Junior Miss Heritage Days Princess are Micaela Flores, sponsored by Rumpca Services and Kylie Johnson, sponsored by M&B Tire.

“This year’s candidates are slightly older,” said Cassie Bahl, coronation organizer. “We hear other communities have problems finding candidates, but that’s not the case for St. Paul Park. We have a good program and former royal members pass the word.”

Bahl was a Miss Heritage Days Princess in 2004. “Having gone through the program, I know how much candidates gain, how much they learn about themselves,” she said.

The coronation will include the introduction of judges, current royalty and their families, former Heritage Days royalty and visiting royalty, plus Aquatennial and Winter Carnival personalities. Candidates will have an opportunity to present themselves, talk about their interests, answer one question drawn at random and model a formal outfit.

A slide show of royal activities from the past year will be shown and outgoing royals will give farewell speeches.

The evening will end with announcements of raffle winners and coronation of the incoming royal family.

After the coronation, family and friends will meet at American Legion Post 98 in St. Paul Park for a reception hosted by the Park-Port Lioness Club.

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