91st Texas Rose Festival Queen Frances Olivia Faulconer speaks at the Winter Gala and Tyler Rose Museum Benefit on Thursday at Willow Brook Country Club. 

Editor’s Note: Expanded coverage and photo galleries will be posted to tylerpaper.com.

The new year kicked off this week, signaling the beginning stages of the 91st Texas Rose Festival.

The Winter Gala and Tyler Rose Museum Benefit was held Thursday night at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler as a kickoff to the 91st festival, which will be held this October. At the event, the festival’s highly-anticipated theme and members of the court were revealed.

Frances Olivia Faulconer will reign as the 91st Texas Rose Festival Queen, alongside Princess Merritt Elizabeth Dial and Duchess of the Rose Growers Alice Elizabeth Milton.

The theme of this year’s festival is Fanfare of Festivals. The logo is a crown adorned with a number of jewels, broaches, and floral imagery, such as Texas bluebonnets. Golden roses sit atop the high points of the crown, each designed to look like a dress train. Other elements on the logo include cowboy boots, masquerade masks, a violin, and more. The elements are nods to cultural, musical, and arts festivals across the world and highlight the beauty and wonder that the spirit of festivals inspire — including “our very own Texas Rose Festival,” said TRF Coronation Co-Chair Nicole Robbins.

Festivals have a certain magic about them that promote unity, standing as a testament to humanity and honoring roots, according to Texas Rose Festival. For hundreds of years, festivals have continued to inspire, educate and bring people together. Over the years, all sorts of festivals have transformed, become larger and more diverse while promoting community and progress, according to TRF. The grandeur of festivals allows communities to “revel in the joy of life,” TRF said. 

The theme represents the “legacy of years past” meeting “the excitement of the present,” said Michael Young, Texas Rose Festival Vice President of Coronation. 

Elaborate costumes for the court, including the queen, princess, ladies-in-waiting and duchesses, will be inspired by the theme. Other elements of the October festival, including ceremonial events such as the Queen’s Coronation, Queen’s Tea, Rose Presentation and Rose Parade, will also be centered around the theme.

Texas Rose Festival President Bill Evans said Thursday’s event was a chance to reflect on what the longtime tradition means for the Tyler community.

The gala also serves as a special occasion for the community to support the Tyler Rose Museum, which preserves the history of Tyler and Smith County’s involvement in the rose industry. Evans and other Texas Rose Festival officials encouraged the community to visit and support the museum, which currently has costumes on display from the 2023 festival “Story of Film.”

Additionally, the event was a time to celebrate the court and all those who put in work to make the festival happen each year. This year’s gala honored the Julietta Jarvis Foundation and Jarvis family for their extraordinary contributions and service to the Tyler Rose Museum over the years.

Other members of the court announced Thursday night include:

Ladies-in-waiting

Miss Mary Helen Caton, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Glen Caton

Miss Harley Jayne Kay Cooper, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Wayne Cooper

Miss Tate Elise Elfarr, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. William Alex Elfarr

Miss Frances Mygnone Foley, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Michael Foley

Miss Landry Kathryn Guy, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Sidney Guy, Jr.

Miss Lily Isabelle Hammer, Daughter of Mrs. Tiffany Daughtry Kidd & Mr. Scott David Hammer

Miss Caelyn Dru Kisamore, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Chad Douglas Kisamore

Miss Emma Joyce Lindsey, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Eugene Lindsey

Miss Claire Bergfeld Lofquist, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Barry Dean Lofquist

Miss Emma Lien-Nagle, Daughter of Drs. Ellisiv Lien & Chad McNeil

Miss Eva Grace Meads, Daughter of Dr. Shanna & Mr. Anthony Meads

Miss Annabelle Kelly Nowlin, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jerry L. Nowlin, Jr.

Miss Martha Claire Patterson, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Greg Patterson

Miss Riley Brooke Rayzor, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Julian Richard Rayzor

Miss Katherine Elizabeth Sharkey, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Paul Cletus Sharkey

Miss Sarah Catherine Sims, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. John Bryan Sims

Miss Macy Caroline Smith, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Kyle James Smith

Miss Caroline Slone Twaddell, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Timothy Jon Twaddell

Miss Caroline Nicole Wells, Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Robert Brian Wells

Miss Kasey Lynn Wright, Daughter of Drs. Renee & Scott Wright

Royal attendants to the queen

Master Reeves Parker Bankston, Son of Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Dalton Bankston

Miss Vivian Kate Deere, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jason Alan Deere

Miss Emerson Blaire Edwards, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Emerson Edwards

Master John Keller Lahourcade, Son of Dr. & Mrs. John Austin Lahourcade

Master Mark Thomas Land, Jr., Son of Mr. & Mrs. Mark Thomas Land, Sr.

Master Lawrence Lewis Loggins, Son of Mr. & Mrs. Lesley Luke Loggins

Master Styles Jax Morris, Son of Ms. Ashley Mizer Morris

Miss Grace Lindsey Peveto, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Grant Michael Peveto

Miss Camilla Rose Swann, Daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Elam Franklin Swann IV

Miss Kollins Jean Tucker, Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Harris Tucker

Some of the out-of-town duchesses and court escorts were also present for Thursday night’s gala.

After the program, guests enjoyed dinner, drinks and entertainment.

Since 1933, the Texas Rose Festival has been held to showcase the community and the importance of the rose industry to Tyler. Tyler is named the “Rose Capital of the World,” due to the large amount of roses processed in the area. The Tyler Rose Garden is America’s largest municipal rose garden and is recognized in the National Register of Historic Places. Seven Tyler-area companies process and distribute several million roses each year and about 75% of all roses in the country are handled in Tyler.