Special to
L’Observateur

GRAMERCY — The St. James Parish Sugar Queen Committee is proud to announce that on Saturday, we will be celebrating our 63rd annual Miss St. James Parish Pageant.

Eight girls from across the parish will compete in the St. James Parish Pageant. Due to the flooding at Lutcher High School Auditorium, the pageant will be held at the Gramercy Elementary Auditorium at 6 p.m. instead.

Three girls will vie for the 63rd Miss St. James Parish title while the other five girls will compete for the 23rd Miss Teen St. James Parish title.

The theme for this year’s pageant is “Swinging into Sugarland.” The Master of Ceremonies is Seth Bourgeois of Paulina and the Mistress of Ceremonies is Hailey Keller Bennett, La Queen Sugar LXIX.

Hannah Guidry and Dani Clement will relinquish their titles this weekend as Miss St. James and Miss Teen St. James.

Hannah is the beautiful daughter of Ken and Kathy Guidry of Lutcher. Dani is the beautiful daughter of Davey and Dawn Clement of Lutcher.

The contestants in the Miss St. James Parish category are Mary-Lynn Detillier, daughter of Jason and Rachel Detillier of Gramercy; Abbey Dale, daughter of Dr. Robert and Karen Dale of Paulina; and Kaitlin Beier, daughter of Paul and Sue Beier of Paulina.

The contestants in the Miss Teen St. James Parish category are Hailey Detillier, daughter of Andy and Deidre Detillier of Gramercy; Morgan Tyler, daughter of Maria Gatch of Gramercy; Casie Oddo, daughter of Sharon Akin and Darryl Oddo of Lutcher; Amber Theisges, daughter of Hope Borne and Douglas Theisges of Gramercy; and Katy Roussel, daughter of Kurt and Rexann Roussel of Paulina.

A panel of certified judges will have the difficult task of selecting our new queens in the Teen and Miss Categories.

The contestants compete in interview, presentation and evening gown categories.

The new Miss St. James Parish will be awarded great honors and prizes, including a $500 wardrobe allowance, $300 travel allowance, crystal trophy from Imperial Sugars and a sterling silver crown ring from Roussel’s Antique.

Perhaps the most exciting honor the queen will be given is a chance to compete in the 73rd Louisiana State Sugar Queen Festival in New Iberia at the end of September.

The first maid will receive $100 from Imperial Sugars while the second maid will receive a piece of jewelry from Imperial Sugars.

All maids will also have the chance to compete in a state pageant.

The new Miss Teen St. James Parish will be awarded $100 cash from the Miss St. James Parish Sugar Queen Committee, $200 cash from Imperial Sugars, a sterling silver crown ring from Roussel’s Antique, a crystal trophy and an all-expense-paid weekend for her and her parents at the State Sugar Queen contest in New Iberia as a guest.

In the teen division, the maids will receive a crystal trophy.

Each category will also have a crystal trophy award for fashion, photogenic, congeniality and people’s choice.

The pageant will be held at the Gramercy Elementary Auditorium. Admission will be general seating, $8 for adults and $5 for children 10 and younger.

The doors open at 5 p.m.

The pageant will begin at 6 p.m. Snacks, sweets, hot dogs and drinks will be sold in the concessions.