By Deanna Inskeep Bailey

Most everyone is familiar with the story of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It was a best selling book and eventually made into a movie. The story follows many young women who go separate directions in their life and the pants that keep them all tied together. This story that I am sharing follows one red dress, many young ladies and the one dream that they are all chasing. 

This story starts back in the fall of 1988 when Laura (Inskeep) Warlick  decided to try out for the Red Flannel Pageant. She selected the perfect, beautiful, red sequined dress to wear in the evening gown portion of the pageant. Although Laura competed beautifully that evening, her dreams of being the Red Flannel Queen were not fulfilled. So what does one do with a dress that they know they will probably never wear again but is full of sentiment from one of the most amazing and memorable experiences of their time in high school? They hang it in their parent’s closet and that is exactly where the red dress stayed until 5 years later when Laura (Allen) Felsted borrowed the red dress to compete in the 1993 Red Flannel Queen Contest. Laura Allen’s mother, Deb Allen, worked with Laura Inskeep’s mom Diane. Deb mentioned that her daughter Laura was competing in the pageant, and my mom mentioned that Laura had a beautiful red dress that she had worn years prior that was hanging in her closet that her daughter, Laura Allen could borrow. Laura Allen was crowned as the 1993 Red Flannel Queen and took her victory walk across the stage in that beautiful sequined red dress. The red dress was then hung back in the closet and yet its story was far from over. 

Fast forward to a couple of years later and now the red dress is hung at Laura Inskeep’s sister’s house. There the red dress hangs untouched at Deanna Inskeep’s house for 22 years until the fall of 2015. Laura Inskeep’s youngest daughter, Ashlee Warlick, has a friend that doesn’t have a dress for the pageant. Bailey Lachniet asks if she could try the red dress on and decides to borrow it for the pageant. She decides to make the dress more of her own style and pairs it with a pair of red converse sneakers and strolls her way across the stage. The luck of the red dress continues and Bailey is crowned the 2015 Red Flannel Queen in a dress that is over 25 years old. 

Fast forward to 2017 and the story of the red dress continues. One of Bailey and Ashlee’s mutual friends, Jenna, is competing in the Red Flannel Pageant and borrows the famous red dress that has helped so many dreams come true. On September 30, Jenna Alcumbrack accepts her title and is crowned as the 2017 Red Flannel Queen, while wearing the red dress that is almost twice as old as she is. 

In this day and age, styles come and go it is so refreshing to see that the red dress has proven to be a timeless classic in every way. Every young woman who has worn this dress has a unique story to tell, a different body type, and a different sense of style. Yet the one thing they have in common is they are trying to fulfill their dreams of becoming the next Red Flannel Queen. For now the red dress will go back in Deanna’s closet until the next lucky girl chooses to borrow it for their big night and a chance at making their own dreams come true.

Anyone young girl wishing to borrow this dress for the pageant should contact Deanna Bailey at dlbailey474@gmail.com.

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Spring Craft and Vendor Show

Apr. 23: The Hillcrest Community Church of God, 5994 – 18 Mile Rd., is hosting a Spring Craft and Vendor Show on Saturday, April 23^rd from 9 am to 2 pm. Come and support your local crafters and vendors. Check out our yummy bake sale items! #15,16p

Praise the Lord at Cowboy Church

Apr. 14: 2^nd Chance will be having Cowboy Church on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 6 pm. It will be at 2^nd Chance School at 810 – 17 Mile Rd. Cedar Springs (corner of 17 Mile and Olin Lakes Rd). The message will be shared by Ron Lynnes who will also be sharing his music with us. Invite your family and friends. Cowboy Church will be every 2^nd and 4^th Sunday of the month. Each service will have different people sharing God’s word and music. If you have questions, call 616-293-2150. See you there! #16p

Senior Lunch at Pine Grove Community Church 

Apr. 27: Ma n Pa Pinegrove are back from far flung warmer climes.  Cock your ear and take a listen, Ma’s bustling ‘round the kitchen.  Checkin this n checkin that, but what she’ll be cookin . . . . . well she’s keeping that under her hat.  So if you’re age 60 or perhaps even more, join us as we throw open our door.  The new season of Senior Café 2016 has begun.  Come on in, we’ll all have fun.  Twill be Noon the 27^th of April, please do come if at all you are able.  Where O Where is it you beseech?  ‘tis here on the Northwest corner of M-82 and Beech. #16

“Spring Into the Past”

Apr. 30-May 1: “Spring Into the Past” and discover the small museums of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network including Cedar Springs Museum, Rockford Area Museum, Oakfield (Twp) Museum and Plainfield Township’s Hyser Rivers Museum in Belmont. These and over 20 other member museums from Hastings to Edmore, Cedar Springs to Portland will be opne from 11 am to 5 pm. Download a guide at www.addorio.com/TriRiver/springintopast2016.pdf or pick up one at any member museum. Ask about the new Tri-River Quilt Trail, too. #16

Auditions for “Young Frankenstein”

May 1-3: The Flat River Community Players will hold auditions for the musical “Young Frankenstein” on Sunday, May 1^st from 1 to 3 pm and Monday, May 2^nd and Tuesday, May 3^rd from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Greenville. Director Amanda Hall and music director pending are looking to cast 3 adult women and 7 adult men and a mixed chorus: all of varying ages late teen/20’s through 60-70’s. Auditioners should bring a prepared solo, Broadway song preferred, with either sheet music or recorded accompaniment, no a capella, please. Five performances are scheduled for July 8 – 16. Questions? Call the FRCP at 616-754-8207. Visit the Players’ website: www.frcp.org.

Hunter Safety at HCNC

May 10,12,14: Join Deputy Scott Cook and Director David Kieft for 3 separate days to receive your hunters safety certificate. May 10^th from 5 – 8 pm, May 12^th from 5 to 8 pm and May 14^th from 10 am to 2 pm. Classes are limited by the MDNR to 50 students. Facility cost is $5 per student. Online students MUST register for the field day as this is included in the state required class capacity. Register online, www.HowardChristensen.org, or by calling 616-675-3158. 16160 Red Pine Drive, Kent City. #16

Red Flannel Queen Scholarship Pageant information meetings

May 10 & 17: Attention all young ladies living in the Cedar Springs School district, or attending school within the CS School District, who will be in the 11th grade in the 2016-2017 school year, with a 3.0 or greater GPA.  There will be after-school information meetings for anyone interested in being a part of the 2016 Red Flannel Queen Scholarship Pageant – Cedar Springs High School: Tuesday, May 10 at 2:40 pm in the auditorium. CTA: Tuesday, May 17 at 2:50 in the cafeteria. For more information, or if you can not make one of these meetings, contact pageant director Kaleigh Rosenberger at redflannelpageant@gmail.com. #16b

The 2014 Red Flannel queen and court, from left to right: Kaleigh Keech (court), Melissa Maguire (Queen) and Ellie Ovokaitys (Court).

Excitement was in the air at the 2014 Red Flannel Queen Scholarship Pageant, held Saturday, September 27, at Cedar Springs High School, where six girls competed for the title.

Chosen as this year’s Red Flannel Queen was Melissa Maguire, daughter of Brian and Teresa Maguire. Court members are Kaleigh Keech, daughter of Amanda Keech and niece of Aaron and Melissa Armstrong; and Ellie Ovokaitys, daughter of Thomas and Donna Ovokaitys. Ellie was also chosen as Miss Congeniality.

According to pageant director Kaleigh Rosenberger, this year they focused on celebrating the Diamond Anniversary (75 years) of the Red Flannel Festival, and 70 years of the Red Flannel Queen’s Scholarship Pageant. To open the show each of the six contestants was assigned a decade from the past 75 years. The contestants dressed in decade wear, chose a song from their assigned decade to play behind them as they gave some fun facts about things that happened in their decade around the country, in Cedar Springs, and within the festival.

The pageant emcee was Andy Rent, radio personality for 100.5 The River. He has helped crown over 10 Red Flannel Queens since the 1970s.

Before the pageant there was a reception for all past royalty to reconnect and reminisce, and during the pageant they were all invited back on stage and were individually introduced. Rosenberger said that there were over 30 past Queens and Court Members in attendance. There was also a video presentation looking back at all 70 years of Red Flannel Pageants, starting with our first Queen Maxine Smith. A highlight of the evening was the presence of Jean Thrall Erickson, our 1941 Red Flannel Queen. She was the third Red Flannel Queen chosen.

See the new Queen and Court this Friday and Saturday at the Red Flannel Festival. Check out the schedule and other information on our Red Flannel Post pages.

The Red Flannel Festival Board of Directors delivered a Community Share check for $600 to the Cedar Springs High School Drama Club for their outstanding volunteer efforts at the 2013 Red Flannel Queen Scholarship Pageant. The Red Flannel Festival is proud of the annual Community Share Program that generated over $5,000 for area local non-profits in 2013.

The Festival is proud and excited to have been able to donate more than $40,000 to area non-profits as partners in the RFF’s Community Share Program.

As a completely volunteer, independent, non-profit organization, the Red Flannel Festival is keenly aware of the challenges organizations face in fundraising, and the RFF mission is to encourage collaboration and positive economic growth for all of the area’s non-profit organizations.  If your non-profit organization is interested in participating in this exciting Community Share Program in 2014, please contact the Festival office at 616-696-2662 or email president@redflannelfestival.org.