Hail to the new Miss Destin

Sixteen-year-old Kelsie Jacobs has joined the ranks of Destin royalty as the winner of the 2009 Miss Destin Pageant, after she was crowned at the Destin Community Center, turned Moulin Rouge, on Saturday night.

Being comfortable in front of a crowd seemed to be the key to winning over the judges after a lengthy 40 minute deliberation.

“I’m used to big crowds,” said Jacobs, a well-seasoned gymnast who has been competing in front of spectators for 13 years.

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PHOTOS AND VIDEOS THROUGHOUT THE CONTEST SEASON

For a photo gallery from the first pageant event, a harbor cruise, click here.

To watch a video of the harbor cruise, click here.

To watch a video of the second event, the soda party, click here.

To see photos from the soda party, click here.

To see photos from the fashion show fitting, click here.

To see photos from the Judges' Tea, click here.

To see photos from the rehearsal, click here.

To see photos from the pageant, click here

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Jacobs is the daughter of Robin and Kelle Jacobs of Destin and is a junior at Fort Walton Beach High School.

“All of the girls participating in the pageant this year are stellar,” said Helen Donaldson, the pageant’s coordinator for the past 11 years.

The pageant’s first runner-up was cheerleader Annie Belter, who also won the title of Miss Photogenic. Belter, 17, is the daughter of Gloria and Jim Hilliard and is a junior at Niceville High School.

Backstage before the pageant, Belter also said that she had been primed for the spotlight by the time she spends in front of large crowds cheering at games.

Rebecca Lively, 16, was the pageant’s second runner-up and also the winner of The Log’s second annual Miss Destin Reader’s Choice Award by acquiring the most votes online.

The FWBHS junior is the daughter of Len and Amanda Lively.

The contestants all together chose Ashley Jackson, 17, as their Miss Congeniality. Jackson is also a junior at FWBHS and daughter of Flo and Kenny Jackson.

Christian Garman of WEAR-TV returned for his eleventh year as the pageant’s Master of Ceremonies. He said that the Miss Destin gig is always one of his favorites. He enjoys meeting the bright young ladies and getting to spend a weekend in Destin.

The contestants had a busy agenda leading up to the pageant, including the harbor cruise, soda party, judge’s tea and hours of practice.

The fashion show was a delightful line-up of colorful and casual summer looks chosen by each contestant. The runway was a parade of oversized hats and bags, bathed in white and bright pinks and yellows. A few chose more elegant looks that all, once again, came from Belk Department Store.

The ladies followed the fashion show with “Moulin Rouge.” They donned full ruffled shirts and feather boas and danced a can can number to an instrumental version of “Lady Marmalade”, choreographed by 1997 Miss Destin Angela Firth-Hayles.

Jacobs’ responsibility as Miss Destin will be to greet the anglers and pose for pictures at the 61st Annual Destin Fishing Rodeo in October. The role was passed on by 2008 Miss Destin Leah Stuart.

In her farewell address, Stuart said that no amount of advice from former Miss Destins could have really prepared her for the reigning experience she compared to driving a car.

“You don’t really know what to expect until you are in the driver’s seat,” Stuart said.