For Fiona Dacosta, authenticity is not just a personal value—it is her superpower.

 

The 27-year-old contract analyst from Farm in Spring Garden was crowned Miss St Thomas Festival Queen 2025 during a glittering showcase at Colonel Cove in Morant Bay on Saturday, May 31. Sponsored by Supermed Lloyd Pharmacy, Dacosta distinguished herself in a strong field of eight articulate and talented young women.

 

Rounding out the top three were Narekah Baker (Miss Pow Protection & Security Services), who took second place and received sectional awards for Most Poised and Most Popular on Social Media, and Akalia Moore (Miss Bryford Rental), who placed third. The top five also included Kendra Clough (Miss Baypoint Medical Laboratory) and Lisanee Douglas, Miss St Thomas Renaissance Foundation, who won Best Performance.

 

The event marked the first in a series of JCDC island wide parish coronations, leading up to the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen National coronation, scheduled for August 2 at the Jamaica 63 Independence Village at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston. With a dazzling smile and an unwavering sense of purpose, Dacosta captivated the audience—not just with her grace and eloquence, but with her commitment to being unapologetically herself.

 

“It’s easy to be myself. I take pride in showing up every day as my authentic self,” she said in a post-coronation interview. “That’s my strongest asset, and it’s what I’m carrying with me to the national competition.”

Dacosta also claimed three of the evening’s six sectional awards: Most Congenial, Most Culturally Aware, and Most Active in the Community, making her a clear favourite with both judges and patrons.

 

Armed with a Bachelor of Law degree and a deep sense of civic responsibility, Dacosta plans to use her reign to empower others. Her parish project, “Know Your Constitutional Rights and Embrace Your Civic Responsibilities,” will engage high school students and young adults in rural communities, using public fora and school visits to promote constitutional knowledge and national pride.

 

“In many cases, rights and responsibilities are seen in isolation,” she noted. “But they go hand in hand. We can’t build a better Jamaica without informed citizens who know not only what they deserve, but how they can give back.”

 

The Festival Queen competition has long held meaning for Dacosta, who recently listed it in a blog post titled “Productive Things to Do in Jamaica.” For her, the pageant is more than just a contest—it’s a platform for personal growth, civic engagement, and cultural preservation.

 

“It nurtures talent, builds confidence, and encourages young women to give back,” she said. “That’s why I entered—because I believe in using every opportunity to uplift others.”

In a time when many feel pressured to conform, Fiona Dacosta is a refreshing voice of courage and authenticity.

 

“My authenticity isn’t something I switch on and off—it’s who I am,” she said. “You are most powerful when you are just yourself.”

 

The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen competition is presented by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) and supported by key sponsors including the CHASE Fund, Airports Authority of Jamaica, National Housing Trust (NHT), HEART/NSTA Trust, Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), and Excelsior.