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ELKINS -- Maid Silvia Anna Ruf will descend Coronation Hill for the 85th Mountain State Forest Festival this afternoon wearing Royal Blue velvet to celebrate the "Endlessly Wild and Wonderful" theme chosen for this year.
The coronation of Maid Silvia LXXXV will be at 2 p.m. today on the Citizens Bank of WV Amphitheater at Davis & Elkins College.
Miss Connie Linger, the costume designer for the Mountain State Forest Festival, described the process of creating the gown.
"Anna's gown is a simple fit and flare ball gown featuring an open scoop neckline edged in bronze bugle beads. Her dropped basque waist is accented by a small lame' peplum which is also anchored by the bronze bugle beads," Linger said.
"Around her shoulders wraps a brief capelet with a cut-away front, which is edged with light golden silk satin banding. The banding encircles the neckline and defines the cut-away front which serves to highlight Anna's small waistline. The capelet ends above the elbows and features slits cut up into it all the way around.
"The entire hem edge is beaded with the bronze bugle beads. The top of each beaded slit is anchored by an Aurora Borealis Flower Crystal. The front closure of the capelet features an arrangement of crystals and beads with beaded fringe dangling down. The golden silk banding finishes just off the hem edge and is cut at an angle, then accented by more crystal flowers," Linger said.
"From under the capelet flows fitted lame sleeves which come to a point at her wrists and are edged in golden satin piping. The tip is accented by an arrangement of Aurora Borealis crystals.
"The skirt of Anna's gown is full and features an arrangement of leaves at the center front, including Maple leaves done in the deep red velvet she wore just last year as a Princess.
"The arrangement also includes golden silk satin oak leaves as well as pine sprigs and is anchored at the center by velvet embroidered pinecones. Trailing out from the center front leaf design is a gentle flounce created from the blue/ gold lame which flows around the hem onto a puddle train and into a loose knot, and gently off the bottom hem edge," Linger said.
"Anna's train features many symbolic images created as medallions. These medallions are anchors for a trail of the lame created as a ribbon design which crisscrosses all the way down the train and trails off the bottom edge.
"At the top, a medallion was created of the design given me to commemorate the honor of the Monongahela National Forest being chosen to provide the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. The design was digitized and embroidered out by machine by Dottie Price. The Christmas tree was then decorated with colorful crystals," she said.
"The second medallion is of the humble Methodist cross. The flame beside the Cross is Anna's own red Princess velvet, and the Cross is created from pure black wool.
"The third medallion is created from West Virginia's own Tartan wool. Anna requested a Treble Clef somewhere on her gown, and it seemed fitting to put it on a highland plaid. She also requested a classic silhouette of the head of Mickey Mouse. I used gold metallic braid to create the Treble Clef and then punctuated it with Mickey's head done with three Swarovski crystals. The head of Mickey will appear on every costume in the Minor Court, as requested by Anna. Have fun discovering them!
"The medallions and emblems reflect things that are important to Anna and her family," she said.
"A huge thanks to my sewists for their expertly completed garments!
"Sheila Scott: Princess headpieces, leaf embroidery and Flower Girls
"Lola Collier: Trainbearers and Woodly the Elf.
"Dottie Price: Crown and Scepter Bearers, digitizing and embroidery."
The MSFF schedule includes:
TODAY
9 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Randolph County Senior Bazaar
Randolph County Senior Center, 5th Street
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Elkins City Park Events
Elkins City Park
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Mountain State Forest Festival Crafts & More
First United Methodist Church
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - GFWC Woman's Club of Elkins Juried Arts & Craft Show
Martin Fieldhouse of Davis & Elkins College
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Log Cabin Quilters' Guild Quilt Show
Elkins/Randolph County YMCA
9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Photography Contest Exhibit
Elkins/Randolph County YMCA
9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Forestry & Wood Products Exhibit & WV Christmas Tree Growers Assoc. Elkins/Randolph Co. YMCA
9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Primitive Campers Exhibit
Davis & Elkins College Front Lawn
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Mountain Weavers Guild
Darden Mill Museum - Railroad Avenue
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - MSFF Juried Arts Exhibit Seneca Trail Artist Guild
The Arts Center
11 a.m. - 9 p.m. - Information Booth Open
Corner of Davis Avenue & 3rd Street
Noon - Axe Women Loggers of Maine
Elkins City Park, Presented by Naylor's Ace Hardware
1 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. - Pre-Coronation Music & Entertainment
Citizens Bank of WV Amphitheater, Davis & Elkins College
2 p.m. - Coronation of Maid Silvia LXXXV
Citizens Bank of WV Amphitheater, Davis & Elkins College
3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. - Axe Women Loggers of Maine
Elkins City Park, Presented by Naylor's Ace Hardware
7:30 p.m. - Elkins Volunteer Fire Department Fireman's Parade
Davis & Randolph Avenues
9 p.m. - Queen's Ball
Phil Gainer Community Center
SATURDAY
8 a.m. - Lumberjack Contest
Citizens Bank of WV Amphitheater, Davis & Elkins College
8 a.m. -4 p.m. - MSFF Juried Arts Exhibit Seneca Trail Artist Guild
The Arts Center
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Log Cabin Quilters' Guild Quilt Show
Elkins/Randolph County YMCA
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Elkins City Park Events
Elkins City Park
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Mountain State Forest Festival Crafts & More
First United Methodist Church
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - GFWC Woman's Club of Elkins Juried Arts & Craft Show Martin Fieldhouse of Davis & Elkins College
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Photography Contest Exhibit
Elkins/Randolph County YMCA
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. - Forestry & Wood Products Exhibit & WV Christmas Tree Growers Assoc. Elkins/Randolph Co. YMCA
9 a.m. - 8 p.m. - Primitive Campers Exhibit
Davis & Elkins College Front Lawn
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Mountain Weavers Guild
Darden Mill Museum - Railroad Avenue
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Information Booth Open
Corner of Davis Avenue & 3rd Street
11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. - Axe Women Loggers of Maine
Elkins City Park, Presented by Naylor's Ace Hardware
1 p.m. - Antique and Classic Street Rod Car Parade
12th Street Start
1:15 p.m. - Log Truck & Equipment Parade
12th Street Start
1:30 p.m. - Grand Feature Parade
12th Street Start, Presented by Polino Contracting, Inc.
5 p.m. - Jack Basil Band Field Show
Elkins High School
Sunday
7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Buckwheat Cake and Sausage Feed
Izaak Walton League
11 a.m. - Muzzleloading Contest
Izaak Walton League Tygart Valley Muzzleloading Range
2 p.m. - Official Closing Ceremony
Jennings Randolph Federal Building Plaza