On May 26, the eve of Memorial Day, at Cherry Grove’s historic Community House, Victoria Falls, making her second attempt to secure the title, was selected as Cherry Grove’s Homecoming Queen 2019 by the membership of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG). Crowned by predecessor Rose Levine, Victoria becomes the 44th to reign. A resident of the Grove and member of the Imperial Court of New York, Victoria, with her entourage, will lead the Fourth of July Invasion of the Pines and she’ll be present officially to open many events during this summer season.
Hostesses for the competition were Panzi and Bella and the other contestants were Hope Springs, who offered a dramatic reading of “Ten Cents a Dance,” and Davida Jones, who performed “The Lady’s Improving,” from “The Prom,” and a virtuoso cancan, with a split.
Victoria’s winning performance consisted of a recitation of “the night the lights went out in Georgia” monologue from “Designing Women,” followed by Ariana Grande’s song “Break Free.” Stepping down, Rose declared, of the year of her reign, “I’ve been here 65 years and this has been my best year” and sang, a cappella, “Rose of Cherry Grove Fame,” her longtime signature song, which many of us sang along with her.
During the evening, funds from the sale of raffle tickets were raised for APCG and for fireworks on Pride Day, June 22, thanks to an auction of photos by Lorraine Michels, the book “When We Rise” autographed by author Cleve Jones, a historic Cherry Grove poster of bathing beauties, and tickets to see Glenda Jackson as “King Lear” on Broadway.