COME Saturday night, one of 13 parish queens will walk away with the crown and title Miss Jamaica Festival Queen. The coronation will take place at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew.

Organisers of the event are pulling out the stops to ensure a great show.

Stephen Davidson, director of marketing and public relations at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), is pleased with this yearâs crop of queens.

“The competitors are brilliant, outstanding young ladies, who are making an impact in their parish and will have the opportunity to contribute to national development. They are from varied backgrounds and their diverse experiences complement their passion for nation building,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Davidson added that this year’s staging will incorporate the theme for Jamaica festival 2014 ‘This Is Jamaica…My Jamaica’. The colours for season — Black, Green, Gold and a ‘tups’ of white will also be incorporated into the production.

In an age where pageants are oftentimes deemed irrelevant, Davidson staunchly defends the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen competition noting its ability to provide a springboard to other endeavours for the parish finalists.

“It provides platform for young women who wish to contribute to nation building. The ladies will also become cultural ambassadors of one of the most sought after and powerful brand – brand Jamaica,” he said.

With Kingston and St Andrew being merged, 13 parish competitions are held with the winner competing for the national title. The reigning queen is Krystal Tomlinson, who represented the parish of Manchester.

As part of the show’s entertainment package, recording artiste Romain Virgo is scheduled to perform.