Queen Candidates

1. All Queen candidates must be between the ages of 14-18. 

2. If you drop out of the pageant, you may not re-enter the same year. 

3. Candidates will be required to be in this year's Rodeo parade (unless participating in a school float. 

4. The Fiesta Committee provides crowns, sashes, and robes.

5. The Mexican Fiesta Queen and the American Queen will each be awarded a certificate of $500.00. The certificate will be available to the queen upon proof of enrollment in a college or university. 

6. The selected Mexican and American Fiesta Queens will be expected to represent the Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta for the year. This includes riding in the 2026 Rodeo Parade and other activities as identified.  

 

Candidate Scoring

• A point system will determine the winner. 

• There will be three elements for a final score x/100: 1) ticket sales, 2) community service hours and participation, and 3) an essay. 

• All three elements are required, and each element counts toward 1/3 of the score.  

• Ticket sales are 1 ticket =1 point

• Community service hours are one hour for 1 point

• Essay scores are based on appearance (8), content (15), and engagement with the judges (10). 

 

Ticket sales

• The money raised by ticket sales will be deposited at Connection Bank to the Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta Committee account. For every deposit, ask for two copies of the deposit slip.  One copy will be kept for your records, and one copy will be provided to the Queen/Princess Coordinator (print your name on the deposit slip).  

• The deposit slip must match the number of tickets being turned in. Tickets will be counted by the Queen/Princess Coordinator and the parents and signed off by both parties each time. Initially, 20 books will be given out to each candidate. Up to 40 books may be given after that, as long as the deposit slips for the prior tickets have been provided to the Queen Coordinator.

• All tickets and deposits must be turned in by Sunday, September 7.

• Queen candidates are responsible for missing tickets. 

• Once all funds and tickets have been accounted for, each queen candidate will receive 1/3 of the funds they have raised.

 

Essay Guidelines

• Required Information: Name, age, grade level, phone number, address, school

• Format: Use easy-to-read or professional fonts like Times New Roman, Sans, or Serif, in 12-point, double-spaced text. 

• Deadline: The Queen/Princess Coordinator will notify candidates of the due date for the essay.

• Essays will be published in the Fiesta program and submitted to the local papers.

 

     Brief Biography
 

     Your favorite subject in school, pets, hobbies, and college plans. What does the     Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta mean to you?  What is your favorite memory of going to the Fiesta?

     
    Essay Questions. Answer both.
 

• Describe a time when you contributed to your community, whether through volunteering, leadership, or cultural activities. 

• Who is a Hispanic female figure (historical or contemporary, public or personal) who inspires you the most, and why? What specific qualities or actions of hers resonate with you, and how do you aspire to embody some of those qualities in your own life? 

 

Community Service and Participation

• Queen candidates are required to help decorate in preparation for the fiesta. This includes decorating the float for the rodeo parade, helping to decorate the village on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as available, and making flowers. Other tasks may be identified as needed.  

• Queen candidates are required to ride on the fiesta float in the Rodeo Parade unless they commit to be on a school float. Please communicate with the Queen Coordinator if you have other obligations. 

• The Mexican and American Queen will be in their formal wear with a cape until 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday night.  

 

Community Service

• Community service hours accumulated throughout the school year from the school may count toward this element. Provide a copy of signed documentation from the appropriate school personnel to the Queen/Princess Coordinator.

• Other hours may be obtained by volunteering locally for non-profit businesses and organizations, nursing homes, community cleanup activities, etc. Signed documents confirming your hours are required and will be verified.

•  

Princess/Jr. Princess 

1. Princess candidates must be between the ages of 9-13. 

2. Jr/ Princess candidates must be between the ages of 5-8. 

3. Princess and Jr. Princess candidates are required to help decorate in preparation for the fiesta. This includes decorating the float for the rodeo parade, helping to decorate the village on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as available, and making flowers. The Jr. Princess candidates must have a parent with them. 

4. Princess candidates are required to ride in the parade on the fiesta float unless they commit to be on a school float. Please communicate with the Queen Coordinator if you have other obligations. 

5. If you drop from the pageant, you cannot re-enter the same year. 

6. The Princess will be in their formal wear until departing or 10:30 PM on Friday and Saturday night.  

7. Princess and Jr. Princess winners represent the Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta for the year and will be expected to be in the 2026 Rodeo Parade and other activities as identified.

8. The winner will be determined by the number of tickets sold. 

9. The money raised by ticket sales will be deposited at Connection Bank into the Fort Madison Mexican Fiesta Committee account. For every deposit, ask for two copies of the deposit slip.  One copy will be kept for your records, and one copy will be provided to the Queen Coordinator (print your name on the deposit slip).  

10. The deposit slip must match the number of tickets being turned in. Tickets will be counted by the Queen/Princess Coordinator and the parent, and signed off by both parties each time. Initially, 20 books will be given out to each candidate. Up to 40 books may be given after that, as long as the deposit slips for the prior tickets have been provided to the Queen/Princess Coordinator.

11. All tickets and deposits must be turned in by Sunday, September 7.

12. Princess/Jr. Princess candidates are responsible for missing tickets.