Watermelon Festival Pageant crowns new queen

CONTRIBUTED/HESTER PHOTOGRAPHY Annie Willis receives her crown as the new Queen in the Franklin County Watermelon Festival.

CONTRIBUTED/HESTER PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTED/HESTER PHOTOGRAPHY Annie Willis receives her crown as the new Queen in the Franklin County Watermelon Festival.

🞬

❮❯

“It’s an honor to represent Franklin County,” said Annie Willis, crowned overall Queen in the 2024 Franklin County Watermelon Pageant held Saturday at the Russellville City Schools auditorium. She also won Most Photogenic this year. Last year, she won Queen for the 14–17-year-old division, in addition to Prettiest Dress. She has placed in other years of the pageant as well.

Willis is also the reigning Miss RHS. She is a 2024 graduate of Russellville High School. At RHS, Willis was in FBLA, FCCLA, CSU, served as a member of the annual staff and was a student aide.

She has also participated in the Miss Merry Christmas pageant at Tharptown High School, in addition to participating in the Watermelon Pageant and Miss RHS Pageant all four years of high school. Willis said she hopes to participate in the Miss UNA pageant.

Willis plans to begin attending the University of North Alabama this fall to major in elementary education, with the hope of returning to Russellville to teach, preferably in first or second grade.