BY DEBBIE PAGE

North Iredell High School senior Trinity Webb captured the Dogwood Queen crown on Saturday night at Shearer Hall on the campus of Mitchell Community College as part of the 54th annual Dogwood Festival activities.

“I’m so very excited to be crowned as Miss Dogwood, and I cannot wait to see what I can do for my community and all the opportunities that I will get to experience,” said the 18-year old Webb, who plans to attend Western Carolina University next year and major in computer science.

Cheryl Abbott, owner of Carolina Dogwood Festival, said Webb and other members of the queen’s court will spend the next year serving the community at ribbon cuttings, 5K races, elder centers, Read Across America events and wherever she is needed.

Webb will receive a scholarship to help pay for her college expenses as part of her winnings.

Other court members crowned Saturday night included Dogwood Teen Princess Abbie Driscoll, a sophomore at Charlotte Catholic School.

Mallory Tsiolkas earned the Ms. Dogwood title. The 33-year-old is leasing manager for a boutique company in the Charlotte region. She has been involved in pageants since age 17 and was part of the Miss America organization as well as being crowned Miss Mount Holly.

“I’m happy to be here in Statesville now and representing this city,” said Tsiolkas. “I grew up coming to the Dogwood Festival and admired everyone who represented it. I’m so happy to now call myself one of those representatives.”

Anna Grae Ward was crowned Junior Miss Dogwood. The Central Elementary fifth-grader said she entered the pageant to gain confidence and get more friends. “I really love helping the community and getting out and doing stuff like this,” she said.

Judges also selected North Iredell High School senior Victoria Tavares as the Dogwood Ambassador.

Eden Mayberry was selected as Junior Dogwood Ambassador. The Millersville Christian Academy sixth-grader said she got involved in the pageant “to help my community more because there’s a lot of people out there on the street. That’s one of the missions I have been wanting to do is to help those people get off the street.”

The weekend kicked off Friday night at Troutman’s ESC Park with vendors, music, dancing, and chances to meet both past and visiting pageant queens.

Prior to the pageant on Saturday, the day started with the visiting queens breakfast and Dogwood tree planting at the Statesville Woman’s Club, followed by a tour of Statesville, learning about its history on a Statesville Historical Collection stop, and then lunch at the Sharpe House.

On Sunday afternoon, community members enjoyed the Carolina Dogwood Festival in the Park, in its second year at ESC Park, with vendors, music, and activities as well as a chance to meet the new Dogwood royalty.

Abbot said the Dogwood Festival organization oversees four other pageants, including the Fourth of July Queens, Miss Merry Christmas, Miss Autumn Harvest, and Carolina Dogwood Teen Court.

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