Florescence
Sentiment was to the Floral fore when her majesty of 2025-2026 repeated her mother’s coronation of 26 years ago. She was crowned in the same spot, wore her mother’s crown and held her scepter. It was the second time in the history of the organization to have a queen follow in her mother’s royal footsteps.
For the very recent event, all hailed Miss Sophia Margaret Dusang as the 2025-2026 Greater New Orleans Floral Trail Queen. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chad Paul Dusang (her mother reigned as Courtney Hedrick, the 1997-1998 majesty), and granddaughter of Sally and Matt Hedrick, and Sandy and Paul Dusang. Grandmother Sally made the antebellum-styled royal dress of crystal beaded lace that Sophia designed.
As Floral Trail’s 88th Festival of Flowers Queen, Sophia will represent the Greater New Orleans area at the annual Mystick Krewe of Louisianians Mardi Gras Ball in Washington, D.C. The monarch of 2024-2025 was Miss Isabella Grace St. Philip.
Master of ceremonies Matthew Hedrick III opened the Coronation Ball program in the Armstrong Room of the Sheraton Hotel; Floral Trail President Mr. Hedrick Jr. acknowledged the board of directors; and treasurer Virginia H. Roch closed with a benediction. (Additional board members are Cathy R. Schwab, Harry G. Yeatman, above Sally B. Hedrick, Richard W. Schwab Sr., and Kevin A. Reith.) The music was by Carnaval, under the direction of B.J. Perez III. After the appearance of the outgoing queen, Miss St. Philip, (and before that of her successor, Sophia), the 2025-2026 Greater New Orleans Floral Trail Court was presented.
They and their parents were maids Ainsley Claire Liles and Avery Caitlin Liles, Dr. and Mrs. A.C. Liles III; and Kaelynn Marie Steltz, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Michael Steltz; and demoiselles Elizabeth Abigail Childress, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Penn Childress; Audrey Grace Isham, Mr. and Mrs. Asa Clayton Isham; Cecily Elisabeth Kupar, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Michael Kupar; Ella Claire Langlois, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Christopher Langlois; Ansley Madeleine Schmidt, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Robert Schmidt III; Emery Lynne Tantillo, Mr. and Mrs. Jed Alan Tantillo; and Meadow Cecelia Waltemyer, Mr. and Mrs. Cory Tait Waltemyer.
The 10 princesses were Carrigan Ann Barrios, Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Adam Barrios; Hazel Grace Hernandez, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Joseph Hernandez; Harper Lynn Isham, Mr. and Mrs. Isham; Ayla Marie Muggivan Lermi, Mr. and Mrs. Birol Lermi; Frankie Rose Ochsner, Mr. Alan Avery Ochsner and Mr. and Mrs. Gary Lee Mossor; Charlotte Rose Steltz and Liv Elise Steltz, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Joseph Steltz; Mary Kate Elizabeth Steltz, the above Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Steltz; Mia Kate Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Albright Thomas III; and Kathryn Judith Valenza, Mr. and Mrs. John Vincent Valenza III. Completing the court were flower girls Arabella Emma Davis and Aria Wren Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Steven Davis, and royal guard Bennett Clarence Childress, Mr. and Mrs. Childress.
Visiting Festival Queens (and their Louisiana titles) were Carlee Marie LeBlanc, Miss 4th of July; Alexis Nicole Lee, Strawberry Queen; Emma Rose McElwee, Cotton Queen; Alayna Janie Robichaux, Plaquemines Parish Fair Orange Festival Queen; Natalie Catherine Sloane, Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Queen; and Emma Nicole Stelly, Farm Bureau Federation Queen.
In her farewell address during the ball and her reflections, the 87th queen, Isabella Grace St. Philip, noted how much Floral Trail has been a part of her life, expressed her appreciation to all who made her royalty possible and immensely enjoyable, and exhorted queen Sophia to “live up every moment you can of your reign.” A year from now, it will be the latter’s turn to wish the same to an eager successor. But first, all glory awaits Sophia.
Meeting and Greeting
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, the Bachelors’ Club has held its formal debutante presentation for decades. However, in the summer, the members meet at a club to welcome the young women who will be honored in a few months. The recent occasion included seven debutantes and their parents. (A few others were not in town.) Cousins who will be presented are Cecile Amanda Abbott and Vivian Bryce Jones.
During the 4-6 p.m. gathering, Bachelors’ Club President Blake Ecuyer made a nice, welcoming speech. He follows two cousins, Ed Ellinghausen IV and Ryan Ellinghausen, in the presidential position.
Among the party features were table decorations of white hydrangeas and a sumptuous late-afternoon buffet catered by Sanchez Event Services LLC that included jambalaya, meat pies, artichoke balls, finger sandwiches, and oysters en brochette. Post reception, a host of the members headed to Fat Harry’s.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
