Queen Guidelines

London Strawberry Festival
London, Ohio

2007 Parents’ Contract

Full cooperation is expected at all times from the royalty member, his/her parents, all her family members & anyone acting on her behalf.

Parents/family members need to be aware of the guidelines in the queen's contract and abide by them.

Parents must attend contestants meeting with contestant prior to competition. Contestants must agree to and return a signed copy of the queen's contract to the director before being permitted to participate in the pageant. Parents must agree to and return a signed copy of the parents to the queen's director before a contestant may participate in the pageant.

A meeting will be held with the royalty and their parents to acquaint them with expectations answer questions about travel, luncheon, etiquette, etc. Attendance is mandatory for the royalty member and at least 1 parent. Failure to attend will result in having to appear before the board & possible removal from the court.

Parents must be willing and able to travel with their daughter as she represents the London Strawberry Festival at many other state wide festivals. Royalty will be expected to participate in other promotional activities representing the London Strawberry Festival such as pageants, luncheons, parades, speaking engagements, interviews, etc. Most of these events/festivals will be on Friday, Saturday, & Sunday. The queen must participate in 30 events (about 65% of all activities), jr. queen must participate in 20 events (about 50% of all activities). Parents of the queen and jr. queen should plan to travel frequently on weekends during the months of May through October. There will also be some events in the winter, especially around the holidays. All attendants, Prince, Little Mr., Young Miss & Little Miss queens are only required to attend 7 events within a 1 hr. radius of Madison County and will not be penalized for not traveling to further events. If travel time is more than an hour, the girls on the Little & Young courts may attend but it is required that they travel with a parent/guardian, however, jr. & miss attendants may travel with other LSF families on an occasional basis. Mr. & Miss Shortcake & babies are encouraged, but not required, to participate in Madison County events. Members must have at least half of the travel requirements met by Jan. 1, keeping in mind all of the close events will be over by this time.

Parents must be willing to assist with transportation and driving during parades. All drivers must be at least 21, provide a copy of a valid drivers license & auto insurance to the Queen’s director. Drivers pulling the float are responsible for making sure decorations, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, festival & OFEA signs are with the float before leaving for event. Be sure that emergency items (insulin, sting kits, etc) needed by an individual, are with the driver. Some parades are very large & may take to long to locate parents in an emergency. Non court members should not be on the float or in the back of the truck pulling the float, unless cleared ahead of time with the queens director or the board.

Parents of anyone riding on the float in an event are responsible for making sure royalty members have their name signs, are appropriately dressed with title and for helping with any float set up or decorating required for the event.

Parents of Royalty members give their consent for their son or daughter's photos to be used in publicity of the London Strawberry Festival.

Parents must be willing to assist with queen’s fundraisers. If orders & money are collected, orders with the full payment, must be given to the queen’s director or received in the London Strawberry Festival PO Box 434 by the due date for order to be placed. Parents are also expected to assist in the Shortcake tent and information booth.

Parents will refrain from the use of illegal drugs, and alcohol while escorting a royalty member. This includes all travel time to & from an event and the time at an event, regardless if a girl is wearing her title or not. Tobacco products should be avoided when escorting royalty other than your own daughter/son.

All festival/event registrations and contact with other festivals/events must be made through the queen's director. Individual families are not permitted to submit registrations directly. Registration and travel guidelines of hosting event must be followed.

10.

Travel expenses (meals, gas/mileage, rooms, souvenirs, etc) are the responsibility of your family.

11.

Event fees always need to be paid in advance. Checks or money orders made payable to the hosting event must be to the queens' director by the set deadline. Avoid paying by cash. Registration fees are non-refundable after they have been mailed. If a reservation is not submitted with a payment, it may be rejected by the hosting event, therefore it will not be done. If the royalty member registered for the free meal is a no show, she will be billed for the cost of the meal. If the queen is a no show at 2 events, she will be required to give a $15 deposit to the London Strawberry Festival before she will be permitted to register for future events.

12.

Girls will be required to purchase magnetic name signs.

13.

Royalty members will need to have at least 1 formal. Cooler events require the purchase of a white cape, black slacks, and sweater (red for queens, green or cream for attendants). The pattern number for the cape & specifications will be given to you at the mandatory meeting or you will be given the cost & money due date if we have all capes made or purchased together. Cream, beige colored capes are not acceptable. Colored trim on capes is not acceptable.

14.

Events & deadlines are posted on the web site. It is your responsibility to check the site & meet the deadlines. The queens’ director is not responsible for reminding you of deadlines. The queens' director will sometimes notify you directly of up coming events. This is usually be done by e-mail. Phone & printed lists may also be used. Check the web site weekly for updates.

15.

All invitations received to another event/festival belong to the London Strawberry Festival and must be given to the queens' director immediately. Invitations are not to be kept for an individual.

16.

Any actions or statements that are detrimental to the London Strawberry Festival made by family or anyone acting on the royalty member's behalf will not be tolerated and will result in loss of title.

17.

Each royalty member must contribute a minimum of 3 items for luncheon door prizes and an item for each gift bag. Items do not have to be expensive. Individually wrapped candy is fine. Plan for 250 gift bags.

18.

Parents & family members need to assist with our luncheon. Duties include guest check in, selling of charms and buttons, set up, preparation & serving of meal and clean up.

19.

Awards (ribbons, cash, trophies or other items) from other events given to the festival will remain property of the London Strawberry Festival and must be given to the queens' director immediately. Monetary awards will be applied to the queens' program. If an individual award (spirit, costume, congeniality, etc) is presented, the royalty member may keep it but must notify the queens' director.

20.

The use of profanity, inappropriate ethnic/racial jokes/slurs is prohibited when escorting royalty or representing the London Strawberry Festival in anyway.

21.

Permission must be obtained from the LSF board of directors before contacting anyone about donations or sponsorships.

Do not make or have buttons made using any other festival or event name or logo.

23.

You must get permission from the board of directors before using the LSF name or logo on any items. A copyright &/or trademark is held on both.

24.

Notarized medical release forms must be returned to the queen chairperson before any member of royalty will be permitted to attend festivals or events. A copy will be provided to any chaperone traveling with a royalty other than own daughter/son. We also request that other family members and adults traveling with royalty provide a health statement for travel emergency purposes.

25.

Problems/conflicts between royalty members, families and adults should be left at home and only discussed with the queens' director if a private resolution cannot be reached. Gossip is to be avoided. Inappropriate comments, gestures, or profanity to any member of the board court or others while at event either as a court parent or chaperone will not be tolerated & will require appearance before the board. This may result in removal from the court.

26.

The judgment of the queens' director is final in any and all conflicts involving the queens' program. Rules/guidelines are not open for debate & apply to everyone.

27.

Failure to follow these guidelines by any family member or anyone acting on the royalty member's behalf, will result in the royalty member loosing her/his title.

28.

29.

This contract is not all inclusive. Decisions of the queens' director and/or the London Strawberry Festival Board are final.

Royalty member must provide her/his social security number to the queens’ director in order to receive your savings bond or scholarship. Girls/Boys failing to provide their social security number by June 20 will forfeit her bond/scholarship. Scholarships will be available 2 weeks following the festival & savings bonds will be ordered. This is to ensure that all duties are complete & all festival items are returned to the festival. Royalty member or parent/guardian must sign for receipt of scholarship/bond.

I have read and understand all the rules of the London Strawberry Festival Pageant. I understand that if my daughter/son or anyone acting on her/his behalf does not abide by these rules she/he will be disqualified or loose her/his title if she/he would place. I agree to assist her/him with her/his duties and complete those of the parent.

Contestant's Name__________________________________________________________________________________________

Contestant Parent's Signature_________________________________________________________________ Date_____________

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DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE UNTIL ROYALTY MEETING

I have read and understand all the rules of the London Strawberry Festival Pageant. I understand that if my daughter/son or anyone acting on her/his behalf does not abide by these rules she will loose her/his title. I agree to assist her/him with her/his duties and complete those of the parent.

Parent Signature____________________________________________________________________________

Date_____________

Notary Signature____________________________________________________________________________

Date____________