THOMASVILLE — The 103rd Rose Show and Festival opening was red hot on Friday afternoon, as the Thomasville City Schools Red Hots performed to kick off the show and ribbon cutting.
Gail Lane Altman, Co-President of the Thomasville Rose Society, welcomed the crowd in, sharing that the roses in this year’s competition were among the most beautiful in years.
However, the most beautiful rose, the Queen of the Show, was grown by Ray Guillebeau, of Jacksonville.
“This is a really big deal,” Lane Altman said, before introducing him to the crowd.
Guillebeau and his wife, Diane, won several categories in this year’s show, carefully traveling with their roses in tow to the Rose Festival for the weekend.
Mayor Todd Mobley thanked Guillebeau and all those in attendance who make the Rose Show so special.
“The Thomasville Rose Show is the second oldest in the United States,” Mobley told the crowd. “It is a time-honored South Georgia tradition for 103 years.”
Mobley thanked Lane Altman and her co-chairs for their continued hard work and dedication to make the show a success.
“They maintain a tradition of excellence that is truly impressive,” he said.
Mobley then introduced some special guests, who much like Guillebeau, had made a special effort to be a part of the Rose Show Festivities, including reigning Miss Georgia Tara Schiphof, of Sugar Hill, Georgia.
She was joined by Miss Thomasville Savannah Taylor and her Rose Court, Ellie Godwin, Macy Taylor, Albree Norton, and Heali Patel.
Mobley honored Thomasville’s first Rose Show Queen Doris Mountjoy, who was pictured during this year’s ceremony.
“Mrs. Doris passed away in late March and was truly honored to hold the title of Thomasville’s First Rose Queen,” Mobley said. “In 2019, we had the great honor of her cutting the rose show ribbon, and today, we recognize her at the entrance of our rose show.”
Thomasville’s Rose Queen has a long history of ushering in the spring event season in the Rose City, which is why Mobley was thrilled to proclaim Friday, April 26, 2024, as Savannah Taylor, Miss Thomasville Day.
“She is a role model in the community,” Mobley said. “She has a sparkling personality, intelligence, and poise. Upon receiving her crown, she became Thomasville’s official goodwill ambassador.”
Taylor was honored to receive this proclamation and joined her court to cut the ribbon in officially opening the 2024 Rose Show and F sestival.
Full results from the show are available on Page 7A.