Texas Rose Festival Queen Molly Berry during the Texas Rose Festival's queen's coronation, on Friday October 14, 2022, at the UT Tyler Cowan Center. (Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo)

The Empires of Enchantment filled the R. Don Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center as court members of the 89th Texas Rose Festival gathered on stage to coronate Queen Molly Louise Berry on Friday.

Dressed in a royal blue, white, gold and light blue sparkling dazzling dress, Berry was crowned as the 89th Queen of the Texas Rose Festival by Tom J. Brown, president of the 2022 Texas Rose Festival.

The Queen’s gown, designed by Jacob A. Climer, left everyone in the auditorium in awe as it sparkled with many details for audience members to observe.

The other costume gowns, all inspired by this year’s theme of “Empires of Enchantment,” represented different areas of the world including Africa, Australia, Asia, South America, and Europe by the ladies-in-waiting.

The Rose Festival court royalty included 2022 Texas Rose Festival Princess Olivia Bristol Young and Duchess of the Rose Growers Hadley Hills Brewer.

Along with the court, ladies-in-waiting, attendants of the queen and royal escorts took part in the event.

Event attendee Yazmin Ramirez, of Tyler, attends the Texas Rose Festival Parade every year but said this year was her first time attending the coronation event.

Ramirez brought her whole family and was excited to see all the costumes, she said.

“It was beautiful to see all the dresses, how they shine, to know where they come from – it was gorgeous. My father always told my girls that they are just as beautiful to be up there and they enjoyed it. Seeing all the princesses was beautiful,” she said.

“I didn’t know so many people came to it, and that this happened before the parade, so it was really a beautiful experience.”

Ramirez along with other families are part of the 2022 Hispanic float organized for this year’s parade to represent local community members and the Hispanic culture.

She mentioned that Ginger Young, mother of Princess Olivia, invited them and sponsored tickets for the families to attend and enjoy the coronation experience for the first time.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with over 125 parade entries with custom floats for the Queen and her court, color guards, bands, car clubs, dance teams, Shriners, dignitaries and more.

Another exciting event will be held later that afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Queen’s Tea, where the community is invited to come take photos and interact with the court in their full costume. It will be held at the Tyler Rose Garden and admission is free.