Former Contestants Welcome New Age Limit for Festival Queen Competition

The recent raising of the age limit to 30 for participants in the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition has sparked favourable responses, including from former contestants.

Traditionally, the competition, organised by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is open to women between the ages of 18 and 25. This year, the rules have been updated to permit young women up to age 30 to enter the annual pageant, which is part of the Emancipation and Independence celebrations.

“I think it is a really good move by the Commission to give more women the opportunity to be able to enter and get the chance to become a National Festival Queen,” says Miss Clarendon Festival Queen 2022, Sheri-Gaye Johnson, in an interview with JIS News.

Miss Johnson, who was the first runner-up in the national competition, says it is a great opportunity for women who might want to enter later in life, when they have had a chance to grow and mature.

“Sometimes when we are a little older, we realise more things about ourselves,” she notes, adding that the new age limit also gives women a chance to make decisions and plans at their own pace.

Miss Johnson, who competed in the Festival Queen contest at the age of 20, believed that she entered at the perfect time.

“At that time, I had less responsibilities and I could focus on school and also was able to attend as many events as I wanted to while reigning as queen,” she shares.

She says that being the youngest in her cohort played a big role in how she experienced the competition and fondly remembered how the other contestants treated her like a little sister, imparting valuable advice.

“They took care of me and I learned a lot of wisdom from them,” she tells JIS News.

The former Clarendon Queen lauded the competition and its impact on young women. She is hoping for a change in the public perception about the Festival Queen, arguing that the competition “is not just about culture but about empowering young women to become leaders and inspiration for others”.

“The competition helps to mould young women into leaders and to show other young women that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to,” she adds.

Miss Westmoreland Festival Queen 2021 and first runner-up in the national competition, Nakinskie Robinson, also welcomed the age change.

She notes that the move is in keeping with the recent removal of age restrictions for contestants by the Miss Universe organisation, making the global beauty pageant open to women of any age.

“So, hopefully, at some point, we would see the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition moving in that direction. But I think just moving the age limit up to age 30 is a step in the right direction,” Miss Robinson says.

She is anticipating that the majority of contestants in the upcoming Festival Queen competition will be between the ages of 24 to 28, noting that the age range is where many women have started to build their careers and their personal and professional brands.

Miss Robinson tells JIS News that she entered the competition at age 20,while still at university, but feels that if she had waited until age 24, she would have competed with more confidence.
She is hoping that the new age limit will not discourage younger women from competing.

“It can be a bit intimidating when you go up against very exceptional women who have strong résumés,” she says, recalling that she competed against women who had already received prestigious awards.

“In my year, I went up against women who were Governor-General awardees, and while I had a good résumé, I thought those women were exceptional, and you start to compare yourself and feel a bit intimated by the competition,” she points out.

However, Miss Robinson stresses that age does not necessarily define the strength of a contender.

“There are 18- and 19-years-olds who are exceptional, with strong résumés. So, they head into the competition with a strong personal and professional portfolio,” she notes.

“Regardless of the age, if you are prepared and have been working on your personal and professional growth, then you can do well in the competition, no matter your age,” she argues.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, in announcing the change, notes that the widening of the age requirements allows for diversity and representation from a greater number of young ladies from across the island.

She notes that over the years, she has met many young ladies who would have been strong competitors but they were over the age limit.

“So, this will help us capture these potential contestants and bring them into this strong sorority and sisterhood of festival queen contestants,” she notes.

“The truth is a lot of potential contestants complete their tertiary education and other commitments after age 24, so this move can only yield the best results for the pageant,” Minister Grange adds.

Coordinator of the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition, Andrea McCurdy, tells JIS News that while the age limit has been changed the competition’s criteria remain the same.

“Whether you are 18, 24 or 30, the focus is on how you contribute to your community, how you present yourself, your passion for your country, and your overall talent,” she points out.

“It is not a beauty contest, so we are not focusing on your appearance. We are more interested in your character. We are interested in how you support your community and help build up those around you,” she adds.

Applications for the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition can be submitted online at https://jcdc.awardsplatform.com/ up to midnight on March 14, 2025.