Competing for Titles, Hawaiian-style

Orlando’s tropical splendor serves as an apt stand-in when these queens donned grass skirts for a hula-primed pageant extravaganza.

NEWLY CROWNED: National American Queen titleholders for 2005 are (L-R): Cheryl Grobelny, Ms. Classic American Queen ’05 (NJ), Courtney Bell, Miss American Queen ’05 (SC), Robin Lowery, Ms. American Queen ’05 (FL), Sunjia Burks, Mrs. American Queen ’05 (GA), Liz Hughes, Miss Teen American Queen ’05 (OK), and Bailey DeCresie, Miss Pre-Teen American Queen ’05 (FL).

The beauty of the surroundings rivaled only that of the candidates who were entered to compete in the 2005 American Queen Pageant national finals. The event took place at the four-star luxury tropical oasis of the Royal Pacific Resort, located at the site of the exciting Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida.

American Queen state titleholders and their family and friends spent a week there with plenty of free time to peruse and enjoy all the luxuries that the Royal Pacific Resort had to offer, from the resort’s own “lagoon” pool to the fabulous theme parks and world class restaurants nearby.

Along with a welcome luncheon at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, a VIP-seating dinner and show at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, and the rides and attractions at Universal’s theme parks, the candidates donned colorful Hawaiian grass skirts and learned to do the hula for the pageant’s high-energy and entertaining opening number. In keeping with the “Hawaiian Luau” theme, the production featured an Elvis impersonator serenading the state titleholders with songs from the soundtrack of the Elvis movie classic “Blue Hawaii.”

The open-air Wantilan Pavilion at the Royal Pacific Resort, with its tropical décor, lighted tiki-torches and Polynesian fire pit, was the perfect setting for the American Queen Pageant. Even a thunderstorm, with its downpour and thunderclaps, added well-timed sound effects that fit in perfectly with the theme.

In the second half of the final event, the candidates performed an elegant, beautiful, and touching Evening Gown production number, set to the song “For Good” from Wicked – The Musical. The surprises didn’t stop there. The audience enjoyed an impromptu performance by Elwood Blues, the character based on the hit movie The Blues Brothers. The show culminated with cannons showering pink, lavender, and silver confetti over the state and national American Queen titleholders.