⚓️2024-2025 Litchfield Watercade Royalty⚓️

Eligibility

• The Senior Royalty program is for girls who are currently in 11th grade or older and will be ages 17-22 on July 1st.
• Must live in Litchfield or attend/graduate from Litchfield High School.

• To be considered you must complete the following:
  • Online Application - Due April 1st.
  • Parent Questionnaire - Emailed directly to parents upon Application Submission
  • Candidate Contract - Signed at Orientation
  • Sponsor Contract and Fee - Signed contract and fee must be turned in at Orientation in April.

Each candidate is responsible to obtain a sponsorship from any local business. This money will help cover the cost of advertising, your candidate sash, t-shirts, and other costs related to the coronation. A Senior Candidate Sponsor will pay $500. If selected, the sponsor will pay an additional $500. In return, the sponsor will be mentioned each time you are at a Watercade function and their name will be included on the back of your sash. Potenial extra costs would be food at events. 

Watercade will contract with an official Royalty Photographer who will take each candidate’s photo, as well as group royalty/candidate photos. These photos will be used for posters, programs, newspaper write-ups, and will be provided to the judges who will make the decision on who is crowned.

These pictures will be taken at Candidate Orientation.

Time Commitment

As much as possible, candidate events will happen on Thursdays in June and the week of Watercade, July 7-13. All events on these days are mandatory, so if you work, request them off now. Thursday events will be scheduled between 10 am and 8 pm. A complete list of activities will be provided as soon as the Royalty Committee has it available.  Some examples of activities may include luncheons, a parade and/or coronation in a neighboring community, a fundraiser, a town tour, a radio interview, volunteer opportunities, and coronation rehearsals. The week of Watercade will be busy, especially Thursday afternoon through Sunday evening. 

Request this whole week (July 7-13) off from work. 

Candidate attire consisting of a Royal Blue T-shirt, White Bottoms, Shoes, and a Sash. Candidate attire will be required for most events. Casual Dress. This dress will be used for some events throughout candidacy and for the opening number during coronation. 

Additional Attire includes a business-style suit/dress for your formal interview with the judges. A knee-length or longer gown is needed for the Watercade parade.  A full-length formal gown is needed for coronation. This gown cannot be white or any color that may appear white. All dresses must have at least one shoulder strap. Clear straps are acceptable. If you are in need of a formal gown, let us know. We have a Royalty Closet with dresses in a variety of sizes available.

Buttons are a large fundraiser for Watercade every year. The sales help cover the cost of Watercade events. Candidates are required to help sell the Watercade buttons. The top seller will receive a prize.

Additional fundraisers such as a car wash may be planned to help reduce the amount of out of pocket costs endured by the candidate.

It is the responsibility of each candidate to arrange for a convertible for use in the Watercade parade. Candidate/Sponsor Signs will be provided.

• At all times you must act responsibly and in good taste while representing the city of Litchfield and the Watercade Board.
• No smoking or drinking alcohol is allowed.
• Any and all tattoos and piercings (other than ear piercings) MUST be covered/concealed for every Watercade event or other public appearance as a candidate.
• You may not accept any engagements as a candidate without the consent of the Watercade Board or the Commodore(s).
• When you are not accompanied by a commodore, you may not wear your candidate sash.
• Candidates are expected to participate fully in the candidate process whether she has entered candidacy with the intention of being crowned or has entered simply to have the experience with no intentions of being considered for a crown/title.
• See contract for additional Rules and Responsibilities.

• Any girl currently in 3rd grade.
• Must live in Litchfield or attend school in Litchfield.
• We are seeking Candidates who are enthusiastic and can commit to a one-year term as a Jr. Princess.

• To be considered you must complete the following:
  • Online Application - Due April 1st.
  • Parent Questionnaire - Emailed directly to parents upon Application Submission
  • Candidate Contract - Signed at Orientation
  • Sponsor Contract and Fee - Signed contract and fee must be turned in at Orientation in April.

Each candidate is responsible to obtain a sponsorship from any local business. This money will help cover the cost of advertising, your candidate sash, t-shirts, and other costs related to the coronation. A Junior Candidate Sponsor will pay $200. If selected, the sponsor will pay an additional $200. In return, the sponsor will be mentioned each time you are at a Watercade function and their name will be included on the back of your sash. Potenial extra costs consist of food at events, dark denim bottoms (see Wardrobe), and  clean, good condition tennis shoes or sandals of your choice.

Watercade will contract with an official Royalty Photographer who will take each candidate’s photo, as well as group royalty/candidate photos. These photos will be used for posters, programs, newspaper write-ups, and will be provided to the judges who will make the decision on who is crowned. These pictures will be taken at Candidate Orientation.

Candidate attire consists of a Royal Blue T-shirt, Dark Denim Bottoms, clean shoes in good condition, and a sash. Candidate attire will be required for most events. 2 royal blue t-shirts and a sash will be provided for each candidate. Dark Denim bottoms should be of appropriate length and free from holes/frays. Bottoms may include shorts, skirts, capris, or pants. Tennis shoes or sandals that are clean and in good condition. 

Additional Attire will consists of a nice dress with at least one strap to be worn for coronation and the parade. Dress should be at least knee length. You can decide how fancy you get. Only one dress is needed.

Candidate commitment is approximately once a week in June and Thursday-Sunday the week of Watercade. A complete list of activities will be provided as soon as the Royalty Committee has it available.  Some examples of activities may include Pie in the Park, luncheons, radio interviews, volunteer opportunities, and coronation rehearsals. If Selected, Jr. Royalty commitment is approximately 20-25 events throughout the year. A parent/guardian is required to attend all events with their daughter.

Several judges from outside of Litchfield are hired to assess each candidate in several areas including: natural inner beauty, speech, vocabulary, walk, posture, personality, and personal interviews. There will be informal interviews conducted for each candidate. These interviews will happen the week of Watercade.  Final judging and decisions happen at the Coronation.

 Since the parade occurs after coronation, non-selected candidates are encouraged, but not required to participate. Those selected as Junior Ambassadors are required to participate in the parade. All junior candidates will ride together on one float during the parade.

• At all times you must act responsibly and in good taste while representing the city of Litchfield and the Royalty Program.
• You may not accept any engagements as a candidate without the consent of the Commodore(s).
• When you are not accompanied by a commodore, you may not wear your candidate sash.
• Candidates are expected to participate fully in the candidate process whether she has entered candidacy with the intention of being crowned or has entered simply to have the experience with no intentions of being considered for a crown/title.

 Commitment 

Your reign as a Royal Ambassador lasts for one year. You will participate in up to 30 parades/events in surrounding communities. Over half of these events occur in June, July, or August. You will volunteer, on average, once a month within our community. This may include Visiting Schools and Nursing Homes, Story Hour at the Library, Santa House, Bell Ringing, and helping at the Food Shelf.

 The Watercade Board awards each ambassador up to a $1,250 scholarship at the end of her reign. These are educational scholarships therefore each ambassador must be enrolled in a post-secondary school at the completion of her reign.

 Each ambassador will receive a crown and a keepsake necklace. Bracelets will be awarded to Miss Congeniality and the winner of the Formal Gown Award.

 Each ambassador will receive a wardrobe to be worn to all events. Ambassadors may choose to purchase additional wardrobe pieces “dress-up” parades and events, such as Halloween, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day. Miss Litchfield also receives a $200 clothing allowance for her required white formal gown for the Aquatennial competition. 

 Miss Litchfield is required to compete in the Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes competition in July, the year following her reign as Miss Litchfield. The Watercade Board pays the registration expenses. Any other optional  expenses are the responsibility of Miss Litchfield and/or her parents.​

Additional information

• If for any reason an Ambassador cannot complete her reign, all money and jewelry provided by the Watercade Board must be returned. This would include money spent from the clothing allowance prior to relinquishing crown and title.
• Scholarships, Jewelry, Clothing, and Minneapolis Aquatennial Requirement may change at the discretion of the Board.