Something old, something new and something borrowed: Miss Gilroy Garlic Queen 2012 rocked her pageant ensemble with all of the above.
Glowing in a golden strapless gown rented through a New York-based fashion service called Rent The Runway, 20-year-old Julia Brewka – a smiling ray of sunshine before and after a bejeweled tiara adorned her blonde hairdo – strut her stuff in the same high heels her older sister, Jessica Brewka, wore when she took first place in the pageant three years ago.
While the Brewka siblings hail from the same royalty-inclined gene pool, Julia noted earlier this week: “I’m not trying to ride on (Jessica’s) coattails…we have the same morals and work ethic – we’re cut from the same cloth, but we’re different.”
The blue-eyed nursing student with an infectiously cheerful grin made history Saturday when she took first place in the 2012 Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen Pageant.
Julia – who also nabbed the lion’s share of $15,000 in scholarship awards doled to a handful of the seven contestants – along with her sister Jessica marks the third pair of siblings to be crowned queen since the pageant’s inception more than three decades ago.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for three years,” said a beaming Julia, who competed alongside her older sister in 2009 but did not place. “I’m ready to take on the responsibilities of the queen.”
The Garlic Festival’s newly-coronated ambassador transformed herself into the doppelganger of a recognizable Silicon Valley icon during the first half of the pageant. Dressed in a black turtleneck, blue jeans, white sneakers and glasses, Julia had the audience rolling with her Apple gizmo-inspired speech, “iGarlic.” She later morphed into a diva starlet, delivering a lively rendition of an animated number originally sung by actress/singer Kristin Chenoweth, called “The Girl in 14G.”
Clutching her daughter’s congratulatory billowing with stargazer lilies and fragrant roses, Julia’s mother Linda Brewka described the Miss Gilroy Garlic Queen lollapalooza as “a family ordeal.”
“It’s a huge sacrifice,” she continued, alluding to the time, commitment and community service expected of pageant participants. “But it’s worth it…the generosity of the donors is amazing.”
Jessica Brewka is currently working in Korea and could not attend the event. She dialed in via Skype messaging, however, shedding tears of sisterly pride when she found out her own kin is now queen, Linda said.
Jessica, on that note, wasn’t the only one pulling for Julia.
Attendees packed the house at Gavilan College’s auditorium Saturday, where a giddy entourage of approximately 28 friends and family members touting garlic bulb signs that read “Go Julia!” erupted in exuberance as Master of Ceremonies Dennis Harrigan opened the final envelope and announced the winner.
If one descriptor sums this years’ Garlic Queen scholarship and pageant – an annual competition held each year to coincide with Gilroy’s famous Garlic festival (now approaching its 34th anniversary) – “talent” is a good place to start.
The seven contestants were human chameleons, transitioning seamlessly between engaging speeches such as “Garlic Idol,” to sweat-breaking performances with nunchucks and bow staffs, to projecting the essence of poise while floating across the stage in stunning evening gowns. Audience members were treated to a cadre of whimsical briefings on Garlic Festival dogma woven into witty speeches, which showed off contestants’ creativity as they channeled the likes of Steve Jobs, the fabled damsel from “Princess and the Pea,” Ryan Seacrest from “American Idol,” former wildlife show host Steve Irwin, Will Smith from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a swashbuckling pirate and a headline-pushing newsy.
“We really have a strong group of girls this year,” said Sheena Link, pageant chairwoman who was crowned Garlic Queen in 2006. “They have a lot of diverse interests and talents. It’s been a real pleasure to get to know them and help them learn about the festival’s history and importance in the community.”
Check back for an expanded version of this story. More details on the fabulous contestants, their awesome talents and the pageant coming soon.
First runner-up: Olivia Echeverria
Second runner-up: Sara Wittry
Miss Congeniality: Sara Wittry
