With the eighth annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival’s just a month away, the first Miss Hot Tamale returned to the Queen City this week to unveil her winning T-shirt and poster design.
Greater Greenville CEO Daniel Boggs and board of directors president Parker England presented the award Monday afternoon to Greenville native Jade Mixon at Greater Greenville and Main Street’s Central Street office.
After learning she won, Mixon said, “I jumped up and down, I couldn’t believe it.”
As he prepared to present the award, Boggs expressed how tough it was for the panel of judges to choose a winner for the competition, which is usually the case.
“We get entries from all over the Southeast,” he said. “We received 11 submittals totals and we narrowed it down to three, which was tough. We had to bring in some more individuals to help us select this year’s winners.”
Mixon said she was anxious, but extremely excited, about unveiling her design. Her reputation for creativity preceded her as she is remembered to have made her dress out of corn husks when she competed and won the title of the inaugural Miss Hot Tamale Queen in 2012.
“I was actually Miss Hot Tamale, so I’ve always had a passion for this festival,” she said. “It’s going on eight years now and I can’t believe it, but I wanted to give back in a different way and art is another passion of mine so I decided to give back in that way.”
Boggs recalled his reaction to her dress during the first tamale festival.
“We were like ‘Oh my goodness, this is great.’ So now we try to encourage people to incorporate corn husks into their dress, so Jade was very instrumental in providing that aspect to the festival.”
Not only is Mixon passionate about art and the festival, but just the Delta area as a whole, which is what inspired her design.
“The Delta is the inspiration behind it. I’ve been living in Oxford going on five years now and one of the things I’ve missed is my Delta home,” she said. “Every time I come from Oxford to Greenville, those iconic things just stay in my mind like the bridge and the cotton and the airplanes flying by.”
Also at Monday’s announcement, Washington School senior Gracye Redwine was named the winner for the student competition for the second year in a row. Because Redwine, who is a past Miss Hot Tamale Queen as well, is a senior, it is the last year she will be able to compete in the student competition.
“This has been a community event since 2012 and the art contest is one of the ways we can incorporate the community into this event,” Boggs said. It is done in collaboration with the Greenville Arts Council (GAC) to solicit the artists from wherever.”
Festival T-shirts are expected to arrive by the end of the week and will be available in short and long-sleeve. The short-sleeve shirts cost $20 for sizes S through XL and $22 for 2X-3X. Long-sleeve shirts cost $25 and 2X-3X cost $27. Sweatshirts will also be available for $30 in sizes small-extra large. Bella-canvas shirts cost $15 and 2X costs $27. Posters will cost $5.
For more information on purchasing one of the T-shirts, call Main Street Greenville at 662-378-3121.
