Fiona Shaffer drew a roaring ovation from the audience March 12 when she was announced as queen of the 81st Rhododendron Festival.
Completing the Rhody Fest royal court are princesses Kayla …
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Fiona Shaffer is crowned queen of the 81st Rhododendron Festival for 2016 by Sam Smith, outgoing queen from 2015. Shaffer was also voted Miss Congeniality and received an award from the Past Rhody Royalty. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Candidates for 2016 Rhododendron Festival Royalty were (from left) Fiona Shaffer, Kayla Calhoun, Eryn Reierson and Morgan Wilford. Shaffer was crowned queen, with Wilford and Calhoun as princesses. Reierson was named a Rhody Ambassador. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
The Rhododendron Festival Queen’s Court (middle school students) for 2016 are (from left) Marissa Kieffer, Te Amo Lanphear-Ramirez and Jenessah Seebergoss. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Rhododendron Festival Junior Royalty for 2016 are (front row, from left) Pierce Edgar, Lily Justis, Lorelei Turner, John Neville, Tim Manly Jr., and Miranda Banker. They were crowned by the 2015 Rhody Fest Royalty (back row, from left) Princess Deidra Morris, Queen Sam Smith, Princess Morgan Chaffee and Princess Lillian Kelly. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Port Townsend Senior Association Royalty for 2016 are Jim and Karen Pate. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Tri-Area Senior Association Royalty for 2016 are Greg Vinson and Hester McKinney-Cumming. Photo by Patrick J. Sullivan
Fiona Shaffer drew a roaring ovation from the audience March 12 when she was announced as queen of the 81st Rhododendron Festival.
Completing the Rhody Fest royal court are princesses Kayla Calhoun and Morgan Wilford.
Special awards went to Shaffer as Miss Congeniality (voted by her fellow candidates) and the Rhody Past Royalty scholarship. Wilford received the award for selling the most Rhody Booster pins. All the girls are high school juniors in Port Townsend.
“I did not think that I was going to get anything,” Shaffer said backstage minutes after the coronation Saturday evening at the Chimacum High School auditorium. “This is a complete shock. I am blessed.”
With four candidates and only three advancing to ride the "Rockin' Rhody" festival float this season, a special position was created for the fourth finalist: Rhody Fest Ambassador. When the Rhody Royalty is out of town at another festival or parade, Eryn Reierson would represent the festival at events in Jefferson County.
Festival Junior Royalty (first graders) for 2016 are Pierce Edgar, Lily Justis, Lorelei Turner, John Neville, Tim Manly Jr., and Miranda Banker.
Festival Queen’s Court (middle school students) for 2016 are Marissa Kieffer, Te Amo Lanphear-Ramirez and Jenessah Seebergoss.
Port Townsend Senior Association Royalty are Jim and Karen Pate. Tri-Area Senior Association Royalty for 2016 are Greg Vinson and Hester McKinney-Cumming.
The Rhododendron Festival Association, a non-profit entity, organizes the festival with volunteers, and business support. Coronation program sponsor was First Federal.
(This story to be updated for our March 16 edition).
