Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association 11th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant

Durham, NC – The 11th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant, a free and fun event, will be held on Saturday, June 6 in the meadow at Duke Park (Acadia at Knox Street). Pre pageant activities will begin at 4pm, and the pageant will start at 5pm. The theme for this year’s pageant is "Beavers do Bollywood!"

The Beaver Queen Pageant is one of Durham’s marquee events and is rich in the history and culture of the community. Started in 2005 by members of the Duke Park neighborhood in order to protect beavers from a potentially harmful road construction project; it has grown into a large scale event that attracts hundreds of people from all over the Triangle who are interested in  protecting wetlands and want to give a helping hand to beavers. The event is a free, family-friendly beaver ‘beauty pageant’ that is a creative outlet for both the contestants and the audience. As with every pageant the five beaver-drag contestants will walk the swamp-way in their evening gown attire, participate in an interview, and showcase their skills in the talent section. The judges are anything but impartial as the audience ‘bribes’ them to support the performer they like the best. Check out who this year’s contestants are and vote for them at:  https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=66373. This year will be WUNC’s Frank Stasio’s fourth straight year as the emcee!

This annual event is a hit with kids of all ages due to the outrageous costumes and audience engagement. More than just being fun, it honors diversity, supports community, promotes creativity, and adds to the uniqueness of Durham. Food trucks on site will include Only Burger, Sympathy for the Deli, Pie Pushers, and The Parlour. There will also be a Locopops cart and a Scrap Exchange booth where people of all ages can make their own beaver tails. Dressing up is encouraged, we hope to see you on the Beaver runway!

The event is a fundraiser for the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA) and its purpose is to raise awareness of our community's waterways and pockets of nature, and to raise money to help protect and restore these precious resources for all to enjoy. ECWA encourages community involvement with Ellerbe Creek and the land alongside it, through workdays, nature hikes, and outreach into schools and neighborhoods that border the creek. Long-term goals for the organization include creating an interconnected network of trails and nature preserves linking downtown to Falls Lake, restoring water quality and habitat in Ellerbe Creek, and creating green spaces for people in the community to enjoy.

For more information:

• Lee Ann Tilley, 919-599-1551 or leeann@ellerbecreek.org.
• http://www.ellerbecreek.org
• http://www.beaverlodgelocal1504.org
• https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=66373

Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association
PO Box 2679
Durham, NC 27705