OROVILLE – This year’s May Festival Coronation saw the crowning of Queen Anna Hernandez and Princesses Sierra Buckmiller and Jayden Glover in Coulton Auditorium last Saturday evening.

The evening began with the National Anthem performed by Jody Evans. Emcee Tasha Shaw introduced this year’s May Pole Dancers and the Grand Marshals, Monte and Barb Drummond. She also introduced the Oroville Senior Center Royalty, Jim Baird and Shirley Moser and Oroville Senior Center Senior Citizen of the Year, Marilyn Perry. The announcement of the stair escorts Will Moreau and Mason Wall and visiting royalty was also made at this time.

The Grand March of Royalty saw a procession of 2024 elementary and high school royalty, each introduced, before Princesses Sierra and Jayden ascended to the stage. Then the audience was asked to stand as Queen Anna, proceeded by her crown bearer, Mac Reyes, and followed by her train bearers, Daleya Mojica, Maci Reyes and Evelyn Corrales, made her way through the audience and ascended the stairs to her throne.

The audience was asked to again be seated as the 2023 Royalty, Queen Lauren Rawley and Princess Lohnes gave their farewell speeches, recalling many of the moments from their time representing Oroville and giving words of encouragement to the new royalty.

Princess Deana Lohnes crowned both Princesses Sierra and Jayden, as 2023 Princess Araceli Esquival was unable to attend. After that, 2023 May Festival Queen, Lauren Rawley, placed the crown upon the head of Queen Anna.

The newly minted queen and her court gave their welcome speeches, revealing their excitement to represent Oroville at May Festival, as well as at other events around the region. They also discussed some of the events, new, old and returning, that can be expected on May Day, May 11. The parade starts at 10 a.m. (see full May Festival Schedule in next week’s edition of the Gazette-Tribune.)