It is possible that I am a person who likes things to go a certain way.
I think living in a household with three (almost) grown men allows me the occasional indulgence to act like a princess, no?
After all, I was an actual princess way back in 1986.
I had the opportunity to enter the Miss Peachland pageant as “Miss O-So-Good Restaurant”, my grandparents’ business at the time.
I was a shy 16-year-old and the pageant process put me out of my comfort zone.
We were taught how to meet and greet dignitaries in a professional way, speak in front of large audiences and many other valuable lessons.
This also included how to apply makeup, which some of us weren’t even allowed to wear at that age. So of course I loved it!
When the pageant night was over and I went home wearing the crown, I was ready for the busy, exciting year ahead.
With Queen Rhonda and Princess Sheila, we struck out to communities all over B.C. to represent our hometown.
We shared many wonderful times, met new people and gained self confidence along the way.
I can look back now and say the pageant experience was a true character builder.
The year is winding down for the 2016 Summerland Blossom Queen and Princesses.
I hope they have had many fabulous times together.
If you would like to view the photos of the current royalty and 11 candidates, the Library has them on display as well as a collection of royal related books for you to checkout.
If you look through the stacks of children’s books in the library, it will show you that there has been a shift in the stereotypical “princess” tale.
No longer are they damsels in distress waiting for their dashing prince to rescue them, but more likely these girls will defeat the dragon themselves.
Take for example “The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch. Who doesn’t like an ending like that!
Or “The Princess in Black” series by Shannon and Dean Hale. By day, Princess Magnolia is prim and perfectly clad in pink, but by night she dresses in black and uses her ninja skills to battle monsters.
There is also a very cool book that looks like it should be for children, but in fact is for adults, called “Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions and Heretics” by Jason Porath.
The author is a former animator for Dreamworks.
He has taken real stories of 100 women from around the world and woven them into short vignettes. Porath shines a light on the forgotten women of history and presents us with “female role models we never knew we needed.”
A highly entertaining book that comes with a disclaimer, read with caution!
Speaking of entertainment, I have my tickets for the Summerland Blossom talent show on Friday, May 5 and pageant night Saturday, May 6.
There will be tickets available at Centre Stage Theatre door if you would like to attend and support our local girls.
Princess Caroline McKay is an Assistant Community Librarian at the Summerland Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.