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Peach Festival succeeds, even in rain

Story and photos by Joshua Maloni and Larry Austin
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, September 13, 2007
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, September 15, 2007


The Peach Queen poses with her court following Sunday’s Peach Queen contest at Academy Park. From left: Sarah Miller of the Town of Niagara, Miss Congeniality; Katherine Petrozzi of Lewiston, fourth runner-up; Alyssa Miller of Lewiston, second runner-up; Charmese O’Callaghan, newly crowned Peach Queen, of Niagara Falls; Kristen DeMarco of Niagara Falls, first runner-up; and Adele Tierney of the Town of Niagara, third runner-up. (photo by Larry Austin)

The 50th anniversary of the Lewiston Kiwanis Peach Festival was a success, despite the rain on Friday night and Sunday. The annual club fundraiser and carnival – where peach pop and shortcake are in high demand – was a hit.

“I thought the weekend went good,” Kiwanis Club President Ed Schieffelin said.

Though final financial numbers will not be available for a few weeks, event chairman Charles Stojak said, “It was a very good success.”

“It was tremendous – there were no major problems,” he said.

Schieffelin said early indications point to a record number of ride tickets sold and more money raised through the raffle than ever before.

“Even with the rain, we had a very, very good weekend,” he said.

The Peach Festival began Saturday morning with a parade down Center Street. In addition to various Kiwanians and politicians, several dance and community organizations participated – and competed – in the event. The top float, as determined by judges, was Fairchild Manor Nursing Home’s performing peaches. Second place went to the Mount St. Mary’s Hospital/Our Lady of Peace display.

The Wheatfield Community Cheerleaders won the cheerleading competition. Lewiston-Porter High School’s football cheerleaders took second.

Miss Bev’s was first in the dance group category. Janet Dunstan’s Dance Company and the McCarthy School of Irish Dance finished second and third, respectively.

In the Novelty Drill Team division, the Niagara County Bicentennial Commission won top billing. In the four majorettes groupings, the Niagara Royalettes and Grand Island Islettes each took a pair of first and second place trophies.

On Sunday, Charmese O’Callaghan, 18, of Niagara Falls, was named Peach Queen.


Charmese O’Callaghan, left, was crowned the 2007-08
Peach Queen by her predecessor, Corey Travis.

“I was shocked. It took a second for me to take it in,” she said after she was crowned. O’Callaghan wins a crown, scholarship and membership in what her predecessor, Corey Travis, called a “posse” with pageant organizers Jeanette Collesano, Kris Trunzo and others who will assist her during her reign.

“I definitely will enjoy the whole posse and all of that,” O’Callaghan said.

Saturday night, pageant contestants delineated their charitable plans for the year, should they win the crown. The platform presentation was a new element to the pageant this year.

“I really want to work on my platform on driver safety and I want to go to area schools and talk to (students) about that,” O’Callaghan said.

This was the second year in a row O’Callaghan entered the pageant. She was a runner-up in the pageant last year to Travis, a college student from Wheatfield.

“The first time I entered it because everybody in Kiwanis, my father and everybody, wanted me to so bad,” O’Callaghan said. “Being with Corey and her winning last year, she really inspired me to run again this year, definitely.”

O’Callaghan’s father, Ron, is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Niagara Falls.

“It’s really amazing,” she said of winning a crown and the opportunity to represent an organization of which her father is a member. “I enjoy that a lot, and I can’t wait to help them and Lewiston Kiwanis, and any other Kiwanis Club I can help.”

Though it rained almost the entire day, a large crowd was on hand to watch O’Callaghan win the title.

“People are going to come out no matter what – unless it’s a blizzard,” Stojak said.

O’Callaghan’s future plans include attending Niagara County Community College, where she will major in theater arts. Her goal is to complete her bachelor’s degree at the University at Buffalo, and her master’s degree in theater arts/classical ballet at New York University.

Kristen DeMarco, 17, of Niagara Falls, finished second in Peach Queen voting. Alyssa Miller, 17, of the Town of Lewiston, placed third. Sarah Miller, 21, of the Town of Niagara, received the Tara Laurie Memorial Miss Congeniality Award.

Since its inception, the Peach Festival has raised more than $1 million for local charities and service organizations.

    


Reigning Tuscarora Princess Lanie Clause tosses candy to the crowd during the Peach Festival Parade.

 

NFP editor helps pick Peach Queen

by Larry Austin

Serving as a judge in the Peach Queen pageant for the first time was an interesting and enjoyable experience, a pleasure from beginning to end, and I hope I never do it again.

That’s because it’s much, much harder than it appears on first glance.

Before the contest began, I joked to co-workers that the reason I became a Peach Queen judge is so 23 pretty women had to talk to me, but during the contest the panel of six judges were told on two occasions that the Peach Queen contest was not a beauty pageant.

The judges rated contestants after an interview at Water Street Landing, a fashion show and platform presentation on Saturday, and the main event on Sunday. We considered each contestant’s biography, communication skills, poise and personality, and platform presentation.

My score sheet for the semifinals, during which the contestants explained their platform of charitable plans should they win the crown, was riddled with changes and reflected my constant second-guessing. Many contestants impressed me with their compassion, intelligence and grace. I couldn’t make up my mind.

Even now, the only thing I’m sure of is that Charmese O’Callaghan, whom I rated No. 1 after the semifinals and finals, will be a great Peach Queen. She’s intelligent, self-confident and poised, and will make an excellent representative for the Kiwanis Club of Lewiston.