Farewell Citrus

At the last parade in Corpus Christi

Being a part of the 2015 Texas Citrus Fiesta Royal Court was the one of the best experiences of my life. I would encourage other young ladies to be a part of such a great pageant competition. It is a great way to be a part of history. I definitely plan on keeping Texas Citrus Fiesta a tradition in my future family. I will never forget the moments I shared with my new life long friends. I will never forget the experiences I had riding the huge grapefruit float. I had the best times of my life and had so many laugh attacks with the little girls from the tangerine court, I will probably be missing them the most. It makes me so happy knowing that we are encouraging other young ladies to compete in this form of pageantry and be helping the community by doing so. Its a bittersweet feeling that someone new will be taking my place next year, but the traditions must continue. Someone new must now fulfill their duties as Princess of Orange Blossom. Forever in my heart I will be 2015 Princess of Orange Blossom. :)

Show me your shoes!

The parades consisted of hours of waiting, hunger, and mini heat strokes. Even though it sounds terrible, it actually wasn't. The parades were the funnest thing I have ever done in my life. While waiting we were all able to become friends and create a bond that will never be forgotten. It was always so fun sitting on the float and showing each other the shoes we had created. You might be asking "creating shoes". Well the answer is yes! It is a tradition in every single parade to show people our shoes. People are so curious to see what kind of shoes are worn under those big ball gowns.  The trick is to find or make the funniest shoes possible. The most common form of shoes that get the crowd going wild is when the girls wear "house shoes" also known as slippers. The crowd goes as far as holding signs that say " SHOW ME YOUR SHOES!", even the kids do it! They get so happy and excited when you show them your shoes, they cheer and clap! On the contrary the BOO you when you don't want to show your shoes! It was a great experience to feel the energy of the crowd, but it was also super fun coming up with wacky ideas for the shoes. I went as far as adding bells so that people would hear me shaking my feet :)

Huge Traveling Grapefruit

Livestock Show Parade

The huge grapefruit travels to 5 different cities with royalty aboard. The first out of city parade that we attend is the Laredo George Washington celebration parade, then we attend the Borderfest parade in Hidalgo, the livestock show parade in Mercedes, the fiesta flambeau parade in San Antonio, and last but not least the Bucaneer Parade in Corpus Christi. The parades are extremely fun. We really get to bond with the court. We have to wait for long hours in the heat, just so the parade can start. That does not include the wait time for the float to actually start moving. The average wait time aboard the float was around 5 hours. Thats right, we had to be sitting on the float with huge ball gowns for about 5 hours.  Don't think because we are royalty we are sitting on a comfy chair, on the contrary we sit on the most uncomfortable plastic step stools. Despite all the waiting, hunger, and pain we went through, the parades were an amazing experience. The bigger the city the bigger the parade. It was something I will never forget.

Citrus Float

The day had finally come where I was able to ride the Texas Citrus Fiesta float. It was a surreal experience. It was so different than last year, the people actually recognized us because of our titles this year. I got to ride in a float with my new friends. We got to lead the largest parade in the city of Mission. It is the parade that the city of Mission is known for. It was so rewarding knowing that the float I was riding in has been a tradition since 1932. It is not many girls that get the privilege of saying that they were a part of the Royal Court and got to ride the float. I felt like it was something to really be proud of. The crowds cheering for us during the parade was so exciting. They know the hard work that it takes to be on the float and they really help us feel happy about ourselves and our accomplishments. Being the lead of the parade and on the float that is recognized by the city of Mission was truly an amazing experience I will never forget.  

Princess Coronation

Being escorted by the 1994 King Citrus

Being crowned as the Princess of Orange Blossom was one of the best experiences I have ever gone through. I felt so proud of all of my accomplishments from the previous year. I was still in disbelief that I had won a title in one of the hardest pageants I had ever competed in. What made it even harder to believe was when I witnessed the new Duchess win their new titles. I saw so many amazing girls who didn't win anything, it made it even more surreal that I was one of the few who had one the previous year. It felt great to have my best friends, boyfriend, and family there to support me. The coronation made me so excited for what was to come. I would experience so many great things with the other wonderful girls. What made the coronation a great experience was making me realize that I would forever be Princess of Orange Blossom 2015. The reason for this, was because previous Queens and Princesses attend the even to show their support. It made me so proud of my title. 

Preparation as a Princess

At Duchess Orientation

Preparing to compete for Queen Citrianna was less stressful the second time. It was a very different experience though. Instead of being a Duchess, I was a Princess. I already had my title, I had already won my place into the court. Even though inside of me I really did want to win Queen, I also didn't care if I didn't. The preparation was different because I already knew what to expect. I was more of a guide to other girls and was supposed to give them advice. I was a Veteran and they were Rookies. The amazing thing about being a Princess was the fact that this year my dress was white. I had no trouble finding an already made petticoat. White heels are not hard to find at all. I also had previous material to study from. I did not feel as stressed as I had the year before. I didn't feel like I wanted to try to win Queen. I was fine with my Princess title. I also felt like I would've been too old to win the title of Queen, since I would've had to wait another year to reign. That helped with my preparation, the fact that I had already won. 

Citrus Parade as a Duchess

The last event on the calendar of the Queen Citrianna pageant is the Citrus Parade in the city of Mission. It is when the entire city of Mission is finally able to see all the girls who competed for the title of Queen Citrianna, of course even though we are winners, we are still not crowned as our new titles. We are still considered Duchesses until next years coronation. The parade was still in honor of last years winning Queen, Royal Court, Tangerine Court, and the King. The parade is extremely fun! The competition is over, and you can finally relax and have a lot of fun. It was such a relief knowing that I had won a place on the court and that next year I would have another chance to win Queen. Even if I didn't I knew it would be a great experience to be Princess of Orange Blossom. I was so excited to be able to ride in the Citrus Float in next years Citrus Parade. 

Coronation

New Queen, Royal Court, and Alternates.

The Coronation is the most anticipated event of the entire pageant. It is the day where the new Queen and Royal Court is announced. It is when the hard part is finally over. The coronation is the longest event of the entire competition. It is every single Duchess walking down a very long runway, showcasing her dress, and doing a curtsey for the current King, Queen, Royal Court, and Tangerine Court. This is the event where the Duchesses are being judged based on dress, appearance, and poise. It is the last impression you can give to the judges. The way it works, is the Duchesses going down the runway in alphabetical order of product. They announce the description of their dress and their accomplishments in school. When they reach the end they do a curtsey, wave of their page ( a little boy who escorted them down the runway). Then the next Duchess goes down the runway. It is a very long event, and the girls are all so anxious to find out who the winner is. Well, when it was my turn I was so nervous and hadn't paid much attention to the curtsey since I was even more nervous about the interview. I curtseyed just fine, I just forgot to wave off my page. I remember sitting down in my chair so upset thinking I had ruined any chance I had. I was screaming inside. I didn't even care about the results anymore, I knew I had messed up my chance. I was so embarrassed. It was finally time for the results. First they named the two alternates which ended up being Duchess of Orange and Duchess of Cantaloupe (the orange and mint color dresses showed in the picture). Then they named Lady in waiting ( the girl in the pink dress). Next it was time to name the first princess, Princess of Orange Blossom, which ended up being me! (yellow dress). I was so surprised. I couldn't even believe it! It took me a while to stand up. I was extremely happy for myself. Later came the Princess of Grapefruit Blossom (the girl in dark green) and the new Queen Citrianna, which had already been part of the Royal Court as Lady in Waiting (the girl in white with the flowers). It was about to be the beginning of a new journey for all of us. We each (except the queen) had one last chance to win Queen next year. It would be the same process, except we could only win Queen. It would be all or nothing.

The Interview

I was way too nervous to capture any pictures of this moment. The interview is the toughest portion of the competition. It is worth 60% of your final score. This is worth even more than what the dress is worth. This is what determines whether you win Queen or make it into the Royal Court. It is the most nerve wrecking interview I have ever gone through. The thoughts going through your head are like "I've invested so much time and money, I really want to win a place on the court!" Studying for this interview was extremely difficult. You needed to know the history of the Texas Citrus Fiesta, know about the Citrus industry, and know about your product as well. Aside from the knowledge questions, there is also personality questions. In the interview room there are 5 judges sitting in front of you. The interview was about 10 questions. These questions were not simple. You had to answer the best  you could and say things that other girls wouldn't, since there are over 20 girls. You have to be different and stand out to the judges and make them like you. Waiting for the interview was the toughest part. It was over four hours of waiting. During the wait is when we practice for our coronation, which is where we showcase our dresses and when they are judged. We have to learn how to curtsey. I remember being to nervous and not really caring much about the curtsey (big mistake). Once I went into the interview, I just kept answering the questions. I was saying things that I never thought I would say. It was as if something took over my brain. I recall myself sitting there and looking at the judges and just feeling my mouth move. I felt so great after the interview, I had a strange feeling I was going to win something the next night in Coronation.

Royal Reception

Daddy-Daughter Dance at Royal Reception

After months and months of preparation and having kept all the important details of your dress a secret for so long, the day has finally come to see everyone for the first time. The royal reception is a formal dinner where all the Duchesses meet for the very first time. It is a dinner to honor the new queen. The new queen is last years duchess winner. For example all the duchesses competing this year will be crowned next year. During the royal reception is the last time you are advised whether or not your dress needs changes to be made. It is also a night full of fun and laughter. You make friends with the other duchesses, you dance with your father, and you have a delicious dinner. The most important part of the night is when the duchesses are encouraged to go mingle with everyone who has attended the reception. You are supposed to be on your best behavior and talk to EVERYONE, since the judges are at the even. NO ONE knows who the judges are, which is why you must be friendly to everyone. This is the first impression the judges receive from the duchesses. Over all its a fun night for everyone, it is probably one of the funnest nights of the competition.

Up Do's

If you thought that they were only strict on the dresses and shoes, you were wrong. There are also strict rules when it comes to hair and makeup. Like I said before this pageant has been around since 1932, and traditions have not changed.  The dress is a major part of the competition and it must be showcased as best as possible. Even though todays hair trends consist of loose beach waves, those are sadly not allowed. Having your hair down will not allow the judges to see all the ornate details that are in your dress. When i say details, I mean details. Some of the girls dresses even have natural product that they are representing on their dresses! They are so competitive, they will do anything to win the title of Queen Citrianna. Back to the hair, it must be worn in some type of up do, like a french twist or anything fancy. There must be no hair hanging onto the neck. They do remove points if the hair is messy or if there are any baby hairs flying around. When it comes to make up it must be natural, they hate when girls wear lip liner. Who would've thought a pageant had so many rules. The hard part is having to get your hair and makeup done 3 times. Ill go into that later. 

Yellow Boots

Duchess of Retama's shoes.

Duchesses are usually required to wear small heels to match their dresses and petticoats. Good luck finding fancy yellow heels. lol. Well every year the Texas Citrus Fiesta has a theme and last years theme happened to be a cowboy theme. For the first time ever the girls were allowed to wear cowboy boots, of course they had to match the dress. So once again, good luck finding yellow or any other weird color of cowboy boots. Since finding them was impossible, they allowed us to paint and decorate our boots. They also had to match the color of the dress as best as possible.

Girls get pretty competitive when it comes to having the best dress and best shoes, less is never more when you are in the running for Queen Citrianna. So you better be on your A game and put all your effort into the competition, because the girls are so competitive. Even when it comes to decorating boots. 

The Elaborate Dresses

A small section of Duchess of Retama's Dress

Like I mentioned in my previous post, different Duchesses represent different products based on the city they are from. There are many strict rules that come with being a Duchess.  The most important rule that girls have to follow is the dress. Since this is a pageant that has been around since 1932, there are many traditions that are involved and expected from the girls. The dresses MUST be modest, no questions asked. The dresses must not have any low neck or back lines. They must have some sort of strap or sleeve. They must not have any trains or collars ( collars are exclusive for the reigning queen). Most importantly they MUST be the color of the product you are representing. The board members will give the Duchesses a swatch of colors that they are allowed to mix and match in their dresses, but they must only use the colors they are given. They are so strict that certain fabrics are not allowed in the competition. Speaking of fabrics, girls must make their own petticoats, since the dresses are ball gowns and must be as big as possible. No hoop petticoats are allowed, the Duchess will automatically be disqualified from judging if there is a petticoat present. Not being allowed to use hoops is the toughest part of the competition, since you NEED to poof up that dress. As if it wasn't hard enough, the petticoat must exactly match the color of your dress. No worries though, before the competition we are checked multiple times to see that we have everything in order :)

The Duchesses

The Duchesses are the girls who are in the running to become Queen Citrianna. Each year every individual city or province has a competition (pageant) in order to select the best girl. The new duchess will represent their city in the Texas Citrus Fiesta and  try their best to win the title of Queen Citrianna. The duchess will be given a product based on the city they are representing. For example, if the girl is from the city of La Joya she will be known as the Duchess of Retama, since La Joya is known for having many Retama shrubs. If the girl is from Rio Grande City, she will be the Duchess of Cactus blossom. Each individual city has its own product, which the duchess represent. These product titles have belonged to the city since the start of the Texas Citrus Fiesta.  There are some larger cities who have multiple product titles. They are allowed to have more Duchesses in the running for Queen Citrianna.

The History of the Texas Citrus Fiesta

Since 1932 the Texas Citrus Fiesta has been a tradition in the city of Mission. The first fiesta was seen as a way to showcase the bountiful winter harvest. The first ever theme of the fiesta was "coronation and pageant of citrus". John H. Shary, who is considered the father of the Texas citrus industry served as the king of the first Texas Citrus Fiesta. It started with a half-hour concert and ended with the coronation of King Citrus (John H. Shary) and Queen Citrianna. This became a tradition of "royalty", with a citrus industry leader chosen as King and a Queen chosen from Rio Grande Valley "Duchesses", each representing a community and its product or industry. The fiesta has taken place every year with the exception of 1933, since there was a lot of damage done by a hurricane. There was also no fiesta in times of World War 2. To this day there is still a different industry leader chosen as king. A great amount of ladies between the ages of 16-19 from all over the Rio Grande Valley compete to win the title of Queen Citrianna or a member of the royal court. The royal court is made up of:The king, Queen Citrianna, Princess of Grapefruit Blossom, Princess of Orange Blossom, and Lady in Waiting.  There is also a tangerine court which is specifically little girls of the age of 6, they compete for the title of Princess Ana or to become a member of the tangerine court. The tangerine court consists of: Princess Ana, Princess of Lemon, Princess of Lime, Princess of Orange, and Princess of Grapefruit.