The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is calling on young women between 18-25 years’ old who aspire to be cultural ambassadors to enter the 2023 staging of the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition.

The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition provides holistic development for all the young women who enter. The Competition focuses on leadership, appreciation of the role of women in development, culture, creative talent, and community involvement. The competition has produced some outstanding queens over the years who have continued to make a significant contribution to building ‘Brand Jamaica’ beyond their reign.

“A signature programme of the JCDC, the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition provides the young women who participate with training in a range of areas from speech and diction, poise, talent development and business and protocol and they will leave the competition ready to lead their peers in contributing to national development,” said Michelle Naraysingh, Acting Director of Marketing and Public Relations.

Naraysingh also noted that a major component of the competition is the social outreach aspect where the contestants are encouraged to give back to their respective communities by organizing parish projects. The past projects have covered diverse areas such as Entrepreneurship, Mentorship, Talent Shows and the 2022 National Project – “Project Healthy Smile Jamaica”. Miss Jamaica Festival Queen 2021, Dr. Dominique Reid organized and executed Project Healthy Smile Jamaica that targeted children aged 12 years and younger by providing them with free dental checks, teeth cleanings, and fluoride treatments. Dr. Reid exceeded the 590 goals by cleaning 610 children’s teeth. 

With over a million in cash and prizes to be won, young women, between 18-25 years old must first compete at the parish level, before the Grand National Coronation on August 1, which forms part of the Jamaica Independence Festival. The call for entries in the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition closes on Friday, March 31, 2023.

Since its inception in 1975 and rebranded in 1985, the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition has provided opportunities for outstanding young women to leave their mark on not only Jamaica’s culture but all spheres of our nation’s development. Some of the past queens include Dr. Marsha Barnett, Jennifer ‘Jenny-Jenny’ Small, Jacinth Hall-Tracey, Dahlia Harris, Krystal Tomlinson, Khamara Wright, and Dr. Dominique Reid. 

Additional Information regarding the entry process and competition guidelines may be found on the JCDC’s website. Entry forms for the competition are available at all JCDC parish offices island-wide, and online at www.jcdc.gov.jm.