General News
29 April, 2023
New competition for “royal” youngsters
A younger generation of Dimbulah will have their chance to be crowned “royalty” with a new competition being introduced to the annual Lions Festival after the Queen and King Quest fell through for the first time in 50 years.
A lack of interest in the charity quest has meant, for the first time, the crowning of a Queen and King will not go ahead – a part of the festival that the town mostly looks forward to.
In its place will be a new charity competition aimed at luring the youngest members of the Dimbulah community to want to be crowned Prince and Princess.
According to Dimbulah Lions president Brendan Goldsworthy, one of the factors behind the lack of interest in the traditional competition is the current extra pressure that 16 and 17-year-olds face in Grade 12.
“It’s the way it is – kids are just a lot busier with Grade 12, and the idea of adding another commitment to that is over-whelming,” he said.
“The Lions Festival will go ahead as usual, but it just won't have that big, exciting crowning of the Queen and King.”
Mr Goldsworthy has high hopes that the quest will return in the future, with the 50th anniversary of the Dimbulah Lions Queen and King coming up next year.
He hopes that a reunion of past Dimbulah royalty will motivate young people to participate once again in the quest.
In place of the quest, Laura De Lai has helped implement a new charity contest for the youngest members of the Dimbulah community – the Prince and Princess Quest.
So far, there are eight princess entrants and three prince entrants who are currently selling raffle tickets for the Dimbulah Lions Club. The participant who raises the most will be crowned at the festival.
“Over the years, older entrants have become less interested (in the Queen and King quest) and we have had heaps of par-ents asking to introduce something for the younger ones so we thought ‘oh well let’s try something new’,” Ms De Lai said.
“I think it brings the younger kids out and gets them into the community and we are hoping they will see this is as a fun opportunity and when they get older, they can do the Queens and Kings competition.
“They will get their own crowning ceremony on the night and the princess will get her sash and her tiara and the prince will get his medallion and it will be truly special for them.”
Raffle tickets for the Dimbulah Lions Festival are available at Dimbulah Health and Beauty. To make a contribution to the Princess and Prince competition, contact Ms De Lai on 0429 166 702.
