PORT TOWNSEND — Three young women will be crowned Rhododendron Festival royalty on March 4.
The 82nd Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival will be the third week in May, capped by the festival parade May 20. The theme this year is Enchanted Rhody.
The three candidates — Lauren Montgomery of Chimacum High School and Sarah Smith and Taylor Tracer, both of Port Townsend High School — were introduced at the Rhody Tea last weekend.
One will be crowned queen, and two princesses, at the coronation at 6 p.m. March 4 at Chimacum High School, 91 West Valley Road. The queen will receive a $1,500 scholarship; the princesses each will be given $1,000 scholarships.
No ambassador will serve this year “because we only have three candidates,” said Brandi Hamon, vice president of the festival.
Lauren Montgomery
Lauren, 17, is a senior at Chimacum High and a lifelong resident of Chimacum. She plans to attend Aveda Cosmetology School and become a special effects makeup artist.
The daughter of Rick and Jacqueline Montgomery, she is the youngest of four siblings. Her sister, Kellie, was a Rhody Festival princess in 2006.
Lauren is involved in softball and has cheered for the Cowboys in the past, and played volleyball and basketball. She is a barista at a local coffee shop.
She attends Calvary Community Church and has gone to Haiti on mission trips.
She loves chicken pad Thai. Art and history are her favorite subjects.
Her favorite Saturday night activity is movie nights with friends or card games with her family. Her hobbies include sports, art, music and working. She loves “jamming” to music while coloring.
Sarah Smith
Sarah, 17, is a junior at Port Townsend High who has lived in Port Townsend for 11 years. She plans to go into business management, and her ideal job would be to manage a large hospital.
She is the daughter of Shawna-Kay Smith and has one sister. She comes from a family of past Rhody queens. Her mother was queen in 1990 and her sister in 2015.
Sarah is involved in Redhawks Cheer and Paws-N-Claws 4-H Club. She has participated in Knowledge Bowl and Know Your Government 4-H Club in the past.
Her favorite subject in school is math. Her favorite food is spicy buffalo chicken wings. She enjoys spending time with her friends watching movies and playing games and her hobbies include cheering, reading, cats and trivia.
Taylor Tracer
Taylor, 17, is a junior at Port Townsend High School and a lifelong resident of Port Townsend. She plans to pursue veterinary medicine.
The daughter of Brian and Jennifer Tracer, she has one brother.
Taylor also has past Rhody royalty in her family. Her mother was queen in 1992 and her brother, Dylan, was in the queen’s court in 2015.
Taylor is involved in volleyball, basketball and band. She has been involved with theater in the past.
Her favorite subject in school is science, and her favorite activity is teaching young children how to ride horses at the horse camp she helps run every year.
Active in her church, she participated in a mission trip to Haiti in November. Her hobbies include horse riding, reading, music and art and her favorite food is homemade mac and cheese.
For sponsorship opportunities and more information, see www.rhodyfestival.org.
