Statia Carnival 2023 continued on Wednesday, July 19, with the Miss Mature Pageant 2023. In photo (from left): Miss Mature 2023 Shomica Griffith, First Runner-up Teena Lopes and Second Runner-up Vanessa Barnes after the crowning.
~ Carnival continues through weekend, ends Monday ~
ST. EUSTATIUS--Statia Carnival 2023 continued on Wednesday, July 19, with the Miss Mature Pageant 2023. The show was produced by Divas Production under the leadership of Shirley Schmidt. The glamorous show featured three lovely ladies, namely Teena Lopes, Vanessa Barnes and Shomica Griffith. Mistress of Ceremonies was Urisha Blake.
Miss Mature 2022 Maliska Brown was on hand at the competition, where she took her final lap around the stage as Miss Mature. The show also featured modelling as well as an acrobatic act that mesmerised the crowd. Judges of the competition were Vaughn Anslyn, Desi Brown, Jáedee Caines and Head Judge Samantha Boone.
The judges for the Miss Mature pageant 2023 pause for a photo.
With 2,539 points, Griffith won the Miss Mature Pageant 2023 and received US $4,000 as prize. Lopes got First Runner-up with 2,459 points, winning $2,500 and Barnes was Second Runner-up with 2,446 points; she received $1,500.
This was Griffith’s first time taking part in a pageant. During the competition she spoke candidly about living with kidney problems and how she almost lost her life and what it means to live with this disease which requires dialysis three times per week. Lopes shared a similar story, about living with hypertension.
Griffith won titles for Best Beach Attire, Best Speech, Best Evening Gown and Best Interview. Lopes came away with the titles for Best Creative Wear and Best Talent. Barnes won the titles of Miss Photogenic and Miss Popularity.
A packed crowd at the Ernest “Mike” van Putten Youth Centre/Lion’s Den was present to enjoy the women’s stunning performance that brought the show to new heights with exceptional talent, poise, creative energy and grace, to make the night one to remember from Carnival 2023. Outgoing Miss Mature 2022 Brown crowned Griffith.
One the acrobatic performances that took place at the event.
From left: Miss Mature 2023 Shomica Griffith, Miss Mature 2022 Maliska Brown, Second Runner-up Vanessa Barnes and First Runner-up Teena Lopes during a choreographed performance on stage.
Statia Carnival 2023’s final weekend kicks off today, Friday, July 21, with Bacchanal Friday featuring Grand Masters Band out of St. Kitts, Chewawah and Bakanal from St. Maarten, Rebels Band HD, Loca, Lady Shorteh and T-Time from St. Eustatius and DJ Taffy XQuan out of Dominica. The show will start at 8:00pm and the party will continue into J’ouvert Morning, scheduled to start at 4:00am on Saturday, July 22, where party-goers can dance in the streets. Following the jamming a breakfast sale will be held. Later that same day the Eutel Golden Rock Explosion will take place, where performers EThana, Onyan and the 3 Cylinder, Axel and Friends, Jamm Boyzz band, DJ Sense and the Turbulanzz band will take to the stage. The show is scheduled to start at 8:00pm.
On Sunday, July 23, the First Parade will see different troupes and other parade entertainment on the island’s streets, displaying their colourful outfits and choreographed moves. The parade is scheduled to start at 1:00pm at the Old Talk of the Town building on L.E. Saddlerweg. On Monday, July 24, a Lighted Parade will take place from 5:00pm, starting at the Gertrude Judson Bicentennial Public Library. The parade will conclude at the Ernest “Mike” van Putten Youth centre where the Statia Carnival will come to a close at 12:00am with the burning of King Momo.
