2019 Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival
King Jeff White
2019 Orange Festival King Jeff White, a native of Mobile, Alabama, moved with his family to Destrehan, LA at when he was nine. Upon graduating from Destrehan High, he attended Southeastern Louisiana University and subsequently obtained his associate degree in Computer Science from Phillips Junior College.
After moving to Belle Chasse in ‘94 Jeff saw the potential for a Subway restaurant. In 1995 he and his father opened Plaquemines’ first Subway location. In 2002 he bought what is now the Gulf gas station near the Navy Base entrance on Highway 23 and incorporated a Subway store in it. In 2011 a third Belle Chasse Subway opened at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base. White is a board member of the Subway Franchise Advertising Trust governing advertising decisions for the 142 stores in the New Orleans market. He is a member and past Board Member of the North American Association of Subway Franchisees.
In 1992, White met Michelle Becnel, whose family has been citrus farmers for five generations, and they were married eleven months later. Their children, William Jeffrey, Jr., was born in 1997 and daughter Jordan Elizabeth in 2001. White has coached and mentored in parish recreational programs with football and basketball teams winning parish championships, and he has trained parish baseball, softball and soccer teams. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends at their camp in Mississippi.
2019 Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival
Queen Catherine Lauren Wooton
Catherine Wooton is the daughter of Chris & Cynthia Wooton of Belle Chasse. She is a 19 year old, 7th generation and lifelong resident of Plaquemines Parish. Catherine is currently attending Southeastern Louisiana University majoring in Kinesiology with ambition to be an occupational therapist.
Proud graduate of Belle Chasse High School where she was a cheerleader for 4 years. 5-time national champion (4 times National Cheerleaders Association, 1 time Universal Cheerleaders Association). Just like being in a national champion was a dream of hers, she has also been dreaming of being a part of the Orange Festival Royalty ever since she was a child. In 2016, her dream came true, she was selected at the 2016 Teen Orange Queen and in 2018 was selected as Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival Queen, and now she has really fulfilled her dream as the 2019 Orange Queen.
She is a Member of the First Baptist Church, Member of Alpha Sigma Tau; director of sisterhood. In her spare time, she enjoys deer hunting with her dad and brother, working out, and hanging out with family and friends. Catherine is very excited to participate in the festival and showcase everything Plaquemines Parish has to offer.
2019 Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival
Teen Queen Catherine Elizabeth Blondiau
Catherine Blondiau is the daughter of Kevin and Sally Blondiau of Belle Chasse. She is a proud lifelong resident of Plaquemines Parish. She has one brother, Nathan Blondiau. Catherine is a sophomore at Belle Chasse High School and is involved in various clubs and activities such as a dance team, cardinal buddies, BETA, HOSA, and Young Life. She takes honors classes and has been on the honor roll since Kindergarten. In her free time, she enjoys offshore fishing and hunting with her dad and brother, babysitting, and baking with her mom. Catherine has always dreamed of being a part of the Orange Festival royalty and is so excited to be a part of it this year. It was also an honor for her to be crowned by one of her good friends, Emily Johnson.
Our Queen's Pageant is only open to young ladies who are residents of Plaquemines Parish between the ages of 17 and 23, and is selected by a panel of judges. It is held annually in September, the Saturday after Labor Day. The Orange Queen is a goodwill ambassador for the Fair & Festival as well as Plaquemines Parish. If you would like to invite the Orange Queen to your festival, or a local Plaquemines Parish Function, please send invitations to:
Orange Queen P.O. Box 158
Belle Chasse, LA 70037.
Past Royalty
2018 Royalty: King Jerry Turlich, Queen Blair Nicole Jones, and Teen Queen Emily Johnson
2017 Royalty: King Mike Bush, Queen Hope Noelle Wilkins, and Teen Queen Jenna Hewitt
2016 Royalty: King Charles Ballay, Queen Nadia Mateja Cognivich, and Teen Queen Catherine Wooton
2015 Royalty: King Earl Armstrong, Queen Devin Kaliszeski, and Teen Queen Madison Lee Coludrovich
2014 Royalty: King Mitchell Jurisich, Jr., Queen Eden Bubrig, and Teen Queen Natalija Noel Cognivich
2013 Royalty: King Norris Babin, Queen Jade Duplessis, and Teen Queen Cheyenne Hartgrove
2012 Royalty: King Ben Becnel, Queen Stephanie Becnel, and Teen Queen Sara Russo
2011 Royalty: King Borden Wallace, Queen Sissy Stricklin and Teen Queen Lindsey Lonadier
2010 Royalty: King Billy Nungesser, Queen Jordan Olivia Gaudet and Teen Queen Lauren Russo
2009 Royalty: King Bill Bubrig and Queen Sophia Perlander
2008 Royalty: King Patrick Becnel and Queen Whitney Blaine Nielsen
2007 Royalty: King David Pavlovich and Queen Kari Eve Hingle
2006 Royalty: King Stuart Guey and Queen Ashley M. Johnson
2005 Royalty: King Anthony Buras and Queen Alexa Nicole Martinez