Strawberry Festival crowns Royalty

The Marysville Strawberry Festival has crowned Amelia Belmont, Rachel Turral, Gabriella Samaniego and Ziri Morales, as this year’s Royalty on March 4.

It has been more than two years since the last Strawberry Festival due to the COVID pandemic.

“We’re crowning a Royalty again this year which means there will be a parade and a festival,” said Gail Frost, the president of Maryfest, the nonprofit organization that runs the Strawberry Festival.

New this year to the Royalty is a fourth position who will serve as an alternate when other Royalty candidates are unavailable.

This year’s Queen is Amelia Belmont, a Lakewood High School senior.

“It was so surprising. I thought that every single person had amazing speeches,” said Belmont. “We were all just so confident so I thought it could have been anybody."

Belmont has attended many Strawberry Festivals in the past.

“Growing up in Marysville I’ve seen the parades and been a part of it in my youth cheer groups,” she said.

During that time she said she often looked up to the Royalty. She hopes to serve as that kind of figure to others now, such as her young cousin.

“Immediately when I was crowned I was looking at my cousin who is here and is five. She wanted to meet a queen tonight and you could just see her face light up, which is really inspiring,” said Belmont.

Belmont enjoys being part of the cheerleading team and her hobbies include painting and making jewelry.

Currently she is trying out for the cheer team at Washington State University where she hopes to either study dentistry or environmental science this fall.

One of this year’s two Princesses is Gabriella Samaniego, who is a junior at Marysville Getchell High School.

“I was extremely excited [to be announced as a princess] because it’s a great opportunity and I get to be a part of it,” she said.

Her family has attended the festival many times in the past.

“The main reason I wanted to be a part of this year’s Royalty is because I’ve lived in Marysville forever and the Strawberry Festival is just such a tradition for my family,” she said.

Samaniego is involved in ASB leadership at her school, as well as business clubs like DECA and FBLA.

“I have a really big interest in business and hope to start my own non-profit organization some day,” she said.

Marysville Pilchuck High School junior Rachel Turral is also a Princess this year.

“I was excited that I could be a part of it and go to the parades,” she said.

Being part of the Strawberry Festival Royalty is a family tradition for the Turrals.

“My sisters and my mom did it so I saw how cool it was and what a difference they made and I just wanted to be a part of the community,” said Turral.

She participates in cross county, golf and cheer at her school, as well as volunteering with the National Honor Society.

This summer she hopes to make friendships with her fellow Royalty members.

“I’m looking forward to making relationships with the girls and meeting people from different towns and cities,” said Turral.

Arlington High School junior Ziri Morales will serve as the alternate for this year’s Royalty.

She has served as a Junior Royalty member in the past.

“I just had a great experience last time with the girls I was with and the whole crew. We were like a little family,” said Morales.

Morales hopes this summer can be similar.

“I’m looking forward to traveling with the girls and gaining friendships,” she said. “I’ve gotten to know them a little bit giving these speeches and they seem like great girls.”

At school she enjoys volleyball, which she has been playing since she was 9-years-old.

Morales currently studies nursing. “My long-term goal is to go into the Air Force as a medic,” she said.