Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Queen voting opens
The voting for the people’s choice award for the Fort Myers Beach Lion’s Club Shrimp Festival Queen Pageant runs through Friday, March 8.
Nine ladies have entered the contest, which will also be judged for additional upcoming events including an upcoming social, parade and queen pageant.
To vote for the people’s choice award through donating, visit https://fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com/product-category/peoples-choice-vote/queens-pageant. The princess with the most donations will win the people’s choice award. Donations benefit the Fort Myers Beach Lion’s Club with their annual scholarship awards, eye care philanthropy and other community efforts, including the shrimp festival.
The queen’s pageant contestants are:
Princess Amber, Semmer Electric: Princess Amber is a senior at Cypress Lake High School who lives on San Carlos Island with her mom Nikki, brother James and her Calico cat Chyeanne. “My interests are cooking and growing vegetables and herbs. I also enjoy drawing, painting, clay art, and acrylic nail art,” Amber said. Her goals are to attend Florida Academy after graduation and be an esthetician/skincare specialist and cosmetologist. Amber lost her grandpa, Bill Semmer, to melanoma cancer last year. “I feel it’s very important to be able to help with early detection of skin diseases. I am also looking forward to going to elder facilities to do hair and nails,” Amber said. “My ultimate goal is to be able to help people feel better.”
Princess Emily, Miss Ostego Bay Foundation: Emily Smith is a junior at Cypress Lake High School. “I am participating in the pageant in hopes for a scholarship for college. I would like to either attend the University of South Florida or University of Florida,”” Smith said. I want to get my bachelor’s degree in nursing. I love running track and spending time with family and friends. I love being on the water and staying active.”
Princess Emma, Miss Property Medic: Princess Emma Stam is 20 years-old licensed cosmetologist who was runner-up in the 2022 shrimp festival pageant. A Fort Myers Beach local, she’s been attending the shrimp festival with her family for 12 years. She currently works with her family’s Fort Myers Beach company, The Property Medic and runs the office. Emma is looking to go back to school and get certified in office management. She enjoys going to the beach and traveling. During Hurricane Ian, Emma helped local volunteers and mucking out damaged houses with her family’s construction company. She hopes to one day run her own local salon with her sister. She is very excited to be here again.
Princess Gracie, Miss Bonita Bill’s: Gracie is a high school senior who is currently homeschooled. Gracie has been attending the shrimp festivals for almost 11 years, watching both of her sisters participate in the pageant. She has been excited to participate since she was a little girl. This is her second year as a princess in the pageant. Gracie plans on attending cosmetology school after graduation. She works at Loveboat ice cream and volunteers at her church on Sundays and Wednesdays with her family. In her free time, she enjoys working out and has a reselling business online. She was sad that the shrimp parade did not go on last year due to the hurricane. She assisted her family’s business, The Property Medic, in working on cleaning out and demoing houses while passing out sandwiches and water to first responders and neighbors. She is so excited for the shrimp parade this year and hopes the tradition continues for many years to come.
Princess Jorja, Miss Douglas Brooke Homes: Princess Jorja said she is ecstatic to be returning to the pageant for the shrimp festival. This is her second year as a princess in the pageant. A high school senior, she dual enrolls with Florida Gulf Coast University and hopes to earn her degree for an English major. She works at Trinity Building & Designs in data entry and volunteers at her church, singing in the youth band and at the preschool’s children’s worship ministry. When Hurricane Ian hit, she was able to volunteer at her church’s clothing closet and food pantry, as well as helping at the Fort Myers Theatre. Other hobbies she enjoys are acting, singing competitively, as well as crocheting and knitting.
Princess Katie, Miss Mid Island Water Sports: “I have always wanted to be a shrimp princess. I grew up on Fort Myers Beach with my parents owning a water sports company and going to the beach school. I looked up to the shrimp princesses. I am going to Florida Atlantic University to major in psychology and eventually want to become a therapist for kids with autism,” Katie said. She may play soccer in college.
Princess Kayley, Miss Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District: Princess Kayley is a high school senior who is dual-enrolled at Florida Southwestern State College and homeschooled. Kayley volunteers at her church with the preschool ministry. “I love working with children and have always wanted to be a mother,” Kayley said. The oldest of four children, she has been in almost 20 musicals with Fort Myers Theatre over the past four years. She has been to Junior Theatre Festival in California and will be attending another one in May in London. “Singing has been a passion of mine since I was five-years-old. I also play piano and occasionally write songs.”
Princess Samantha, Miss San Carlos Island Marina: Samantha Lozano, 16, plays beach and indoor volleyball and is a member of the National Honors Society. “I take pride in doing well in academics. I am interested in being a part of this pageant because it will help me gain more confidence and build more friendships. It will also help pursue my dream career to model,” Lozano said.
Princess Sarah, Miss Holiday Water Sports: Princess Sarah is a high school senior who is excited to be doing her first shrimp festival. A southwest Florida native, she is grateful for this opportunity to participate. Sarah has had a love for singing since serving in the children’s choir at her home church McGregor Baptist, where she would get the chance to serve and sing in nursing homes. To this day, Sarah continues serving and leading worship in the youth ministry at her church. Sarah has been a member of her school’s cross country and track team and works in the lawn business of her parents. Sarah is currently employed at Captain PC Parts where she specializes in computers. After Hurricane Ian, Sarah volunteered in major clean-up and remodels. She has a love for interior design and real estate.
Princess Sophia, Miss Storm Smart: Princess Sophia Zeinner is participating in her second Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Parade Pageant. A sophomore at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, she has been a varsity cheerleader for the past two years. She is also a member of the National Honors Society and is very active in my youth group. Her family moved to Fort Myers from Cincinnati. “I love being in Fort Myers and greatly enjoy going to Fort Myers Beach,” Zeinner said. “Since Hurricane Ian, there was so much devastation at Fort Myers Beach and there has been so much progress in rebuilding. I am excited to participate in the shrimp festival and plan to use my bubbly personality, positive spirit and energy to add to the healing and growth at Fort Myers Beach.”
The full schedule for the Fort Myers Beach Lion’s Club Shrimp Festival is as follows:
Saturday, March 9:
9 a.m.- 10 a.m.- 5K Run
10 a.m.-noon – Parade down Estero Blvd.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. – Arts & Crafts Fair at Bayside Park
10 a.m.-6 p.m. – Shrimp Crawl at local restaurants
1 p.m.-2 p.m. – Queens Pageant
Sunday, March 10
10 a.m.- 2 p.m. – Blessing of the Fleet & Pink Gold Shrimp Celebration
10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Arts & Crafts Fair @ Bayside Park
10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Shrimp Crawl at area restaurants
2 p.m.-3 p.m. – Shrimp Eating Contest
If you can not make it for any reason, you can still help the lions by making a tax-deductible, charitable donation to the club’s Paypal account at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/fmblions
For direct contact to event chairs:
Arts, Crafts Fair, Lion Diane: 239-634-3887
5K Shrimp Run, Betty Rodriguez: bettyr@leeschools.net
T-Shirts, Lion Diane: dlc1349@comcast.net – 239-634-3887
Shrimp Crawl, Lion Shelby shelby@hillgate.biz – 239-336-9188
Shrimp Eating Championship, Lion Shelby: shelby@hillgate.biz – 239-336-9188
Queen’s Pageant: Chloe LaForce: chloestam1@gmail.com – 239-910-2303
All general inquires, Lion Drew, President: President@fmblions.com – 239-940-6412