Anna Grace Hallmark is Queen of the 2021 Texas Rose Festival. (Photo Courtesy James French Photography)

Like most college freshmen, Anna Grace Hallmark was happy to return home for Thanksgiving break in 2019 as it allowed her to spend time with family and friends.

One evening that week, she had gone with her parents and grandparents to watch her brother play in a basketball game. Immediately after, her parents asked her to drive over to her grandparents’ house.

“We were all hanging out. We’d had some food. It was just a very nice night with my family,” she recalled. “I didn’t really think anything of it.”

Her grandparents have long been friends with Mary Lauren and Bruce Faulkner, so when the Faulkners came over to visit, she also didn’t think anything of it. But then, they gave her a box to unwrap.

“I opened the box and inside there was a silver tray engraved with my name. Beneath my name, it said, ‘Queen of the Texas Rose Festival,’” Hallmark recalled. “I was so shocked and surprised.”

A public announcement was made in January of 2020 that Hallmark would serve as the Texas Rose Festival Queen that year. However, the annual Tyler event was delayed due to the pandemic, so Hallmark has had the honor of serving as Rose Queen for two years.

“It’s been super fun,” she said. “We got to do a lot of community service during that time and it was a really good opportunity.”

Hallmark is the daughter of Erica and Cameron Blake Hallmark of Tyler. She attends the University of Mississippi where she is majoring in Business. During her tenure as Rose Queen, she has served as a volunteer for PATH, East Texas Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and visited with children at the Promise Academy.

Hallmark is no stranger to the Texas Rose Festival. She served as a dresser for attendants in 2018 and 2019 and as a Queen’s Tea junior hostess when she was in the second grade.

Of all the October 2021 Texas Rose Festival events, she said she is most looking forward to the Queen’s Tea.

“The tea has always been my favorite. It’s open to the public and the little kids get dressed up and they are so excited to be there,” Hallmark said. “I’m a big kid person so I love seeing them and interacting with them.”

She also has a long family legacy of being involved in the Texas Rose Festival. Her mother, Erica Needham Hallmark, served on the Wardrobe Committee from 2005 to 2010 and as a chaperone in 2009. She also served as a lady-in-waiting in 1996. Hallmark’s parents and grandparents have continued to support the festival as hosts and sponsors since 1986. Many other family members also have participated in the festival.

“The Texas Rose Festival is a good event to bring the community together and just to support Tyler as a whole,” Hallmark said. “There are a lot of events that are important to the public. It’s fun because everyone gets to be involved and see the festival in some way. It’s a really nice tradition.”

In designing this year’s Rose Queen dress, Hallmark said she had some ideas and new designer Jacob A. Climer also brought many ideas to the table. She was excited to see Climer bring those ideas to life.

When she saw her dress and tried it on for the first time, Hallmark said it was both an “overwhelming” and an “exciting” experience.

“It was beautiful,” she said. “I was a little nervous about the weight of the dress but when I got to put it on, I felt better. My worries went away.”

While Hallmark is excited for the 2021 Texas Rose Festival to be here, she said the most rewarding aspect of the past two years has been the community service. Hallmark said the volunteer service was a bit of an eye-opening experience for her as she learned more about the community in which she grew up.

“The community service was really special. I learned a lot,” Hallmark said. “I was grateful to be able to give back in that way.”

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Texas Rose Festival Queen Anna Grace Hallmark

Anna Grace Hallmark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Blake Hallmark of Tyler, attends the University of Mississippi where she is majoring in Business and is a member Kappa Delta – Alpha Mu sorority.

She is active in her sorority chapter serving the community through Girl Scouts of America and Prevent Child Abuse America. She also has served as a volunteer for PATH, East Texas Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and visited with children at the Promise Academy during her tenure as Queen.

She has served as a dresser for attendants in 2018 and 2019 and Queen’s Tea junior hostess as a second grader.

Her mother, Erica Needham Hallmark, served on the Wardrobe Committee from 2005 to 2010 and as a chaperone in 2009. She also served as a lady-in-waiting in 1996. Hallmark’s parents and grandparents have continued to support the festival as hosts and sponsors since 1986.

Other family members who participated in the festival are Lucille Annie Bates, aunt, lady-in-waiting in 2014; Michelle Flowers Dial, aunt, lady-in-waiting in 1986; Jason Butler Flowers, uncle, escort in 1989; William Michael Hallmark II, cousin, escort; Heather Ashley Hughey, cousin, lady-in-waiting; Hillary Aarin Hughey, cousin, lady-in-waiting; William Robert Hughey III, cousin, escort; Lindsey Dickerson Amos, cousin, duchess; Holland Avery Hughey, cousin, lady-in-waiting; Merritt Elizabeth Dial, cousin, train bearer to the queen; Mary Michael Dial, cousin, royal attendant to the queen; and Hampton Malone Hughey, cousin, attendant.

Her grandparents are Celia Flowers Bates and Barrie David Bates, Betty Jane Hallmark and James Patrick Hallmark, Ken Needham and Cheryl Needham.