Royalty comes to the Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast in Bellaire Michigan


August marks the annual "Rubber Ducky Extravaganza" here in Bellaire Michigan. Every year, the Village rolls out the welcome mat inviting travelers from near and far to enjoy the festivities designed to entertain young and old. A short walk through town provides an abundance of food, shopping, games and music which leaves no one disappointed. Certainly the highlight of the week long party is the "Race of the Ducks" along the Intermediate River, but a close second place has to be the gathering of some of the northern Michigan's finest, prettiest, and most promising young women as participants in the annual ‘Rubber Ducky Parade’ through town. At the end of the parade route, the royalty disembark from their respective parade float to enter the Grand Victorian grounds for the popular Queen's Luncheon.

Since 2004, Leigh Carpenter and her volunteers have seen the event grow from a dozen to over 50 area delegates!

This year’s event saw representation from Bellaire, Elk Rapids, American Legion post of Elk Rapids, Central Lake, Gaylord Alpenfest, Kalkaska, Presque Isle, Rogers City, Grayling's Miss Marathon, the National Cherry Queen of Traverse City, Miss 'Heart of Michigan', Otsego County Fair Queens, and Northwestern Michigan's Fair Queen. (With over 100 people in attendance, please forgive us if we left anyone out of the list.)
The posted pictures show, from top to bottom, the Ducky Event Mascot (Linda
Wangbichler); Bellaire’s Queen court welcoming the guests; Gaylord's Alpenfest Queens enjoying lunch in the gazebo; and the owners of the Grand Victorian (lucky Ken and Linda) posing with the current National Cherry Queen (Maria LaCross) and Miss 'Heart of Michigan', and former 2006-7 National Cherry Queen (Kaley Schroeder).

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