Elizabeth Ferrell captured the 2026 Miss St. John Celebration Queen crown after sweeping major segments with presentations rooted in St. John history, Dahomey’s women warriors, heritage and self-worth. Photo Credit: USVI FESTIVALS| RUDY LA PLACE.
Elizabeth Ferrell, Contestant #3, was crowned the 2026 Miss St. John Celebration Queen on Saturday night, closing an evening of cultural presentations, performance, pageantry and community celebration.
Ferrell emerged as the night’s dominant winner, capturing several major awards in addition to the crown. She won Best Evening Wear, Best International Wear & Talent, Best St. John Historical Presentation, and Miss Photogenic.
The competition, held as part of the St. John Celebration, featured three contestants: Liandra Dagou, Contestant #1; Alauna Petersen, Contestant #2; and Ferrell.
Dagou and Petersen also left their mark on the evening. Dagou, whose platform centered on “Healing Hands of St. John” and the call for St. Johnians to be born on St. John, won Miss Intellect and Miss Cooperative. Petersen, a Charlotte Amalie High School graduate and reigning Junior Calypso Monarch Queen, earned Miss Congeniality after a night of presentations rooted in culture, family strength and island pride.
Ferrell introduced herself as a daughter of St. John, speaking of strength, resilience and ancestry. Throughout the night, her presentations leaned heavily into themes of identity, heritage and confidence. Her St. John Historical Presentation focused on the 1733 slave insurrection and Mary’s Point, connecting the history of enslaved Akwamu warriors to her own family legacy and the broader story of freedom and resistance on St. John.
In the International Wear & Talent segment, Ferrell presented the Kingdom of Dahomey and the Agoji, the all-female military regiment later referred to by European historians as the Dahomey Amazons. Her presentation moved through ritual, ancestral protection, battle preparation and the transformation of warrior into queen, tying African history to themes of courage, sacrifice and feminine power.
Her evening wear presentation continued the personal and cultural themes, centering on self-worth, confidence and melanin beauty. The segment described a young woman who had learned to see value in her own reflection and identity, while drawing support from women who came before her.
Additional awards went to Liandra Dagou, who won Miss Intellect and Miss Cooperative. Alauna Petersen was awarded Miss Congeniality.
The evening also included the final walk of outgoing queen Jah'Millia Maloney, who reflected on her reign as the 71st St. John Celebration Queen and encouraged the contestants to remember that a crown does not create a queen; character, purpose and heart do.
Organizers, hosts and members of the royalty team thanked sponsors, families, volunteers, former queens, contestants and supporters who helped stage the event. The program also highlighted upcoming St. John Celebration activities, including the Food Fair, boat race, Village opening, J’ouvert, Emancipation Day program, parade, fireworks and village closing.
By the end of the evening, Ferrell had secured both the crown and the night’s top judged segments, becoming the 2026 Miss St. John Celebration Queen and the newest representative of Love City’s annual celebration.
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