The Festival Queen is chosen through a typical pageant process which first seeks applications of young ladies between the ages of 18-23 who reside within a 50 mile radius of Ponchatoula, LA. Independent judging is conducted by a panel of 3 judges who are not local to the Ponchatoula area. Each contestant competes in a business interview, a self-introduction, an evening gown competition and onstage questioning. The Louisiana Strawberry Queen spends the next year traveling in excess of 3000 miles across the state and to Washington D.C. representing the Louisiana strawberry industry and promoting our festival.