St Pete Pride’s outgoing and incoming Royal Courts with supporters. (Photo by Samantha Ponzillo)
ST. PETERSBURG | St Pete Pride held its second annual Mx. St Pete Pride pageant at The Palladium May 26, crowning its 2024 Royal Court and celebrating the art of drag.
Nearly 500 supporters attended the competition, which rebranded from the Miss St Pete Pride pageant last year to let contestants enter regardless of gender. A total of 15 people competed to become Miss, Mr. or Mx. St Pete Pride 2024.
Six vied for the title of Miss, three for Mr. and six others for Mx. The pageant was hosted by Central Florida entertainer Angelica Sanchez with Miss St Pete Pride 2022 Delores T. Van Cartier serving as head judge.
Joining the panel were Miss St Pete Pride 2010 Kori Stevens, 2024 grand marshal Dena Cass and Isaiah Sanchez Hilton, Mister St Pete Pride 2014. Alyssa Edwards from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” served as special guest judge.
Edwards was among the evening’s entertainment, which also included former winners and highlighted St Pete Pride’s 2023 Royal Court. Miss St Pete Pride Ceazia Giovanni Kreshé, Mr. St Pete Pride Vyn Suazion and Mx. St Pete Pride KaMarion Lavish each brought their reign to a close as only they could.
Contestants participated in five categories this year, beginning with a personal interview conducted May 25. The pageant itself began with presentation, judging contestants on how they expressed the Pride flag representative of their LGBTQ+ identity.
Evening Gown for Miss, Evening Wear for Mr. and Evening Fashion for Mx. followed, along with a live and random Q&A. Each contestant then had up to seven minutes for a talent of their choice, resulting in the crowning of Miss St Pete Pride Kiala Santi, Mr. St Pete Pride Amari Lavish and Mx. St Pete Pride Justine B. Knight, all of whom are eager to serve.
Vivion Rachel Clarke, who competed for Miss St Pete Pride, was also crowned Miss St Pete Pride Elite. The division was created after former pageant winners who conducted her personal interview decided to honor the entertainer’s commitment to the system; Clarke has competed in seven of its pageants over the years.
“I’m thrilled about the new 2024 court,” St Pete Pride board member and Mx St Pete Pride Pageant Director Clifford Hobbs says. “Not only are they all seasoned entertainers, but they are also dedicated community servants … They truly embody our theme of Rainbow Revolutionaries and I’m excited to see the great work they do both on and off the stage.”
The pageant also honored the 10-year mark of Stephanie Stuart and Isaiah Sanchez Hilton as Miss and Mister St Pete Pride 2014, and presented Stevens with a special Rainbow Revolutionary award. “This system would not be here today if not for one person,” Hobbs shared from the stage.
Among other accolades, Stevens — the second Miss St Pete Pride — led the pageant for over a decade. Addressing the performer, Hobbs noted “you are a staple in this community and you are the reason why all of us are here tonight.”
“Thank you so much for the recognition,” Stevens told the audience, “but I do have to say this: the things that I do are because it makes me feel good. It’s not because I want someone to see what I’m doing … it feels right, and that’s why I dive in as much as possible to make sure that everybody’s treated well and treated fairly.”
She also called on younger entertainers to step up and do the same while encouraging attendees to vote in November. She urged them to “take into consideration your future, the future of the people of you love and all humanity.”
Watermark was on hand to celebrate this year’s Mx. St Pete Pride pageant. Read more in our next issue and view our photos below.
Photos by Samantha Ponzillo.
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