A scene during the sash ceremony.
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) officially launched the pageant journey for Carnival 2026 on Sunday evening with a sash ceremony at the new Mona Lyssa Lounge in Philipsburg, bringing together contestants, chaperones, families and friends for what SCDF described as the first official step toward the Junior, Teen, and Senior pageants.
The ceremony was attended by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten and Member of Parliament (MP) Sjamira Roseburg, who were invited to sash the junior and teen contestants, respectively.
The senior contestants were sashed by the reigning Senior Queen Keisy Quant. During the event, contestants also selected their numbers for their respective shows.
With Carnival 2026 marking the 55th anniversary of St. Maarten Carnival, SCDF used the evening to underline a clear message: the road to the crown begins in that room, and the success of each contestant depends on the guidance and support of the people surrounding them.
SCDF also introduced its new Pageant Coordinating Team, led by D’shnay Mathew-York, a seven-time pageant winner and former Junior, Teen, and Senior Queen titleholder, supported by SCDF members Shantal Etienne and Jennifer Perez.
Addressing the contestants and their support network, Heyliger-Marten said the evening was special not only in her ministerial role, but also because she understands what the pageant journey feels like.
“It is truly special to be here tonight, not just as Minister, but as someone who remembers exactly what this pageant journey feels like,” she said, noting she was honoured to stand in for Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs and pleased to be part of the official sashing.
Heyliger-Marten reflected on her own experience as a teenager entering a queen show at Milton Peters College (MPC), explaining that she had not win or placed, but had been chosen as Miss Congeniality, a moment she continues to value.
“I didn’t get the crown back then, but today I get to represent my country, build relationships, create opportunities and uplift others,” she said, adding that the qualities behind congeniality, kindness, approachability, respect and support are a form of leadership.
She told contestants that while competition matters, the deeper purpose is personal development.
“A crown is beautiful, but character is what truly makes you shine,” she said, adding that the journey toward March 2026 is about growth, discipline, self-belief, culture and recognising their value and voice.
Heyliger-Marten also thanked parents and organisers, saying pageantry builds confidence, discipline, public speaking skills, sisterhood, and leadership, and she encouraged contestants to lift each other up and remember that their worth is not defined by a crown.
Roseburg also addressed the gathering, offering encouragement to contestants, especially to the junior queens.
“I never participated in a pageant, so I salute you all,” she said, calling the evening the start of a new journey and acknowledging that beginning something new can feel nerve-wracking.
Roseburg told contestants that courage is already a win.
“The moment you decided to participate, you already became a winner,” she said. “You are already a queen for having the courage to stand here today.”
She described the season as a competition and a journey of learning, growth, friendship, and becoming a stronger version of oneself, urging contestants to build sisterhood and stay focused, even when the process becomes difficult.
“When it gets hard, stay focused. When you feel tired or unsure, stay focused,” she said, encouraging contestants to look in the mirror during challenging moments and say: “I’ve got this.”
Roseburg emphasised that the journey is not carried by contestants alone, pointing to family, friends, chaperones, supporters and SCDF as key partners. She called on families and chaperones to remain patient and supportive, and to keep the competition positive and encouraging.
Head Coordinator Mathew-York said the night was meaningful for her personally, as someone who once competed in the same pageants she is now coordinating for Carnival 55.
Mathew-York described pageantry as a lifelong influence that taught her confidence, discipline, grace, and resilience, while noting that coordinating has already brought new lessons.
She told contestants that their chaperones are essential, describing them as a support system that keeps contestants grounded and ready, and she also thanked the chaperones present, noting that their involvement signals a strong season ahead.
Mathew-York urged chaperones and mentors to focus on more than winning.
“Please remember, if you instil only winning in a contestant’s mind, you do them a disservice,” she said, encouraging chaperones to promote discipline, teamwork, humility and class, regardless of the outcome.
“To our contestants, you are stepping into a legacy filled with culture, confidence, and courage,” she said, emphasizing that pageantry is about empowerment, growth and discovering who you are beyond the sash and crown.
Addressing the broader community, she called for enthusiastic support that remains respectful. “Support your contestant proudly, cheer loudly, but never belittle another,” she said.
She concluded by thanking SCDF for trusting the vision and framed the season’s launch as a continuation of a long-standing tradition.
“This is not just a launch. This is a rebirth. A revival of culture, confidence, and community. This is Carnival 55 and the legacy lives on,” Mathew-York said.
SCDF said the sash ceremony marks the start of preparations leading into Carnival 2026, with contestants now entering the active phase of training, mentorship, and public engagement as they move toward pageant season in March and April.
