Andouille queens take stage
Published 12:02 am Wednesday, October 5, 2016
- 2016 Miss Andouille Queen Janet Nelson and 2016 Teen Andouille Queen Kash’Mir Foley take the stage in Reserve. (Candace Hemelt/L’OBSERVATEUR)
RESERVE — Janet Nelson participated in the 2015 Miss St. John Andouille Pageant, finishing as the first runner up, so she set her sights on the crown again this year.
“Look where I am now, achieving my goal as the new Miss Andouille,” an excited Nelson said minutes after winning the crown as 2016 Miss Andouille Queen.
First runner up Kassidy Duhe, from left, joins 2016 Miss Andouille
Queen Janet Nelson and second runner up Emma Remondet.
She said winning the pageant means bringing a little piece of her hometown to everybody that comes out to enjoy the Andouille Festival.
As for the big moment when her name was called, Nelson had trouble putting it in perspective; thankfully, she has a year to enjoy the special moment.
“I’m still in shock,” she said Saturday night. “I cried because I knew I achieved my goal. It was just great. I love it and I can’t wait to represent this festival.”
Nelson is the daughter of Stephen and Staci Nelson.
Nelson took center stage Saturday evening in front of a packed house at St. John Theatre.
As Miss Andouille Queen, Nelson goes on to compete in the Louisiana Queen of Queens Pageant held in February.
Throughout the year, Andouille Queens travel to fairs and festivals representing Louisiana’s rich culture and promoting the St. John the Baptist Parish Andouille Festival.
The 2016 queens will reign over the 2016 Andouille Festival, which is Oct. 14-16, as well as participate in various parish and community events as Ambassadors for St. John the Baptist Parish.
Nelson wasn’t the only winner Saturday night, as Kash’Mir Foley took home the 2016 Teen Andouille Queen honor.
Foley said she participated in honor of her grandmother, who passed away approximately four years ago.
Foley said she and her grandmother always watched pageants together, adding the pageant and Andouille Festival are very special.
“It means everything,” Foley said. “It’s my parish and I want to represent them as well as I can.”
She said the moments before the announcement were nerve-racking.
“It was like a movie,” Foley said. “It was so great.”
Foley is the daughter of Kiandre Burdell & Floyd Foley Jr.
— Candace Hemelt contributed to this report.
