The Miss Cherry’s 2015 contest, dedicated to the memory of Lois McIntosh, original co-owner of Cherry’s with surviving spouse Meryl Facterman, took place on August 2, and the title winners, besting six other contenders, were, for Miss Cherry’s, Honey Davenport, who was Miss Cherry Lane 2014; for both Miss Cherry Lane and Entertainer, singer Vita Summers; and for audience favorite, Champagne Bubbles.
Contest MCs were Miss Cherry’s 2013 Ginger Snap and Gusty Winds. Judges were Cherry Grove Community Association, Inc. President Diane Romano and spouse Pat Goff; Belvedere Guest House owners Craig Eberhardt and Julien Darcelien; Arts Project of Cherry Grove President and Invasion Founder Thom “Panzi” Hansen; Wanda and Alex Sykes; and Dune Point’s Petra Brehl and Rick Dugas. Contestants beside those already mentioned were Dixie Ruption, from North Carolina; Anyman Willdo; Bible Girl, Joyce Rodgers’ grandchild; Lady Alessandra; Ratu Tiara; and Mahagony, inspired by Diana Ross. Susan Levine served as DJ.
Crowning the top winners was Miss Cherry 2014 Tina Burner, who ended her reign with “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going,” complete with confetti shower and a moment with Wanda Sykes, which followed Tina’s earlier number—“Here’s where I stand, here’s who I am”—in which she stripped out of her fancy drag and into male clothing. MCs Ginger and Gusty donned ‘lesbian drag’—jeans and flannel shirts—for the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine” and Ginger’s solo, on roller skates, was “Xanadu.” Past Miss Cherry’s Ivanna Cocktail contributed “Get This Party Started” and “Friends.” Matthew Kennedy, from Island Breeze, sang “Only You.” Busted also did a number.
Contestants were judged on presentation; creative day wear—a new category, created by Ginger; performance; and evening wear, as well as answering a Cherry’s trivia question. Honey’s winning song was “Feel It All Over,” with two back-up dancers, and Vita’s were “In My Own Little Corner” and “It’s Possible,” from “Cinderella,” and “One Night Only,” from “Dreamgirls.” Champagne’s contribution was Britney Spears’ “(You drive me) Crazy,” with a trio of back-up dancers. For creative day wear, Honey portrayed Michelle Obama, walking the Presidential pooch, and Vita worked a nautical look. Ginger described Champagne’s day wear as “an ice cream cone with the cherry on top.”