HAMPTON — Lexi Taylor remembers seeing the Miss Hampton Beach crown, sash and trophy on display for the first time at the visitors' center. She was 11, but that moment sparked her interest in beauty pageants.
“Where can I get one of those?” she recalled saying.
Taylor competed five times in the junior and teen-level Miss Hampton pageants. Although she never won, she consistently placed in the top five.
However, last year, the 22-year-old's persistence and perseverance paid off when she was crowned the 77th Miss Hampton Beach . She called it “a full circle moment,” noting that she had accomplished a dream set by her 11-year-old self.
“You know that moment where everything turns into slow motion, and you’re just kind of stuck in that picture for a moment,” she said, referring to when the crown was placed on her head. “That’s kind of like what I felt for three seconds.”
On Sunday, July 28, Taylor will hand the crown to the next queen of the beach during the 78th Miss Hampton Beach at 2 p.m. on the Seashell Stage. She will also be on hand the day before when a new Little Miss and Junior Miss Hampton Beach are crowned on Saturday, July 27.
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What was it like being an ambassador for Hampton Beach?
Taylor said the experience representing Hampton Beach this past year has been “really great.”
“I got to meet a lot of people who are part of the Hampton community and also the visitors who come to the beach,” she said. “ …Getting to know why they love Hampton Beach and also learning about their lives. I just love to talk to people, so it’s been great having those interactions and building those relationships.”
Taylor, of Rochester, said Hampton has always been a special place to her, noting that growing up, she and her family frequented the beach.
“I just love Hampton because of everything it has to offer,” she said. “You have the strip where you can go eat food … you have all the stores … and then they have concerts and all the different events … What's not to like about it?”
Taylor said her favorite part of being Miss Hampton Beach was attending community events such as the Seafood Festival and Country Music Fest, which she describes as “the best night I’ve had so far.”
“Everyone was super welcoming and kind and it was just great to be out on Hampton (Beach),” she added.
Earlier this year, she also volunteered for the Penguin Plunge, where thousands brave the cold ocean on Feb. 11 to raise money for Special Olympics NH.
“I got my hands dirty picking up the sandy towels and putting them away,” she said. “I really just do love to volunteer and be a helper.”
However, the role doesn't come without challenges.
“Sometimes it’s hard on days when I’m not really feeling my best to have to go to these events and put a smile on my face,” she said. “Obviously, there’s nerves as well. I do get anxious (before any events) … but wherever I go, everyone is so welcoming, everyone was so kind … those fears were stripped away the second I shook someone’s hand and said hello.”
Another challenge, she said, was juggling her duties with school and her job. She graduated in May with a bachelor of science in nursing and is currently a nurse at Exeter Hospital.
“Making time to go to these events, especially if they’re after work and I’m exhausted, but I still want to be present,” she said. “It can be challenging sometimes, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Taylor credited her “sister queens,” Little Miss Hampton Beach Braideigh Lynn Heisey and Junior Miss Hampton Beach Kendall Laroche, for being “so supportive” throughout the year. As the youngest child of two, Taylor said she was “lucky” to have two younger “sisters for life.”
Taylor has one piece of advice for the next Miss Hampton Beach
“Just go out there and be yourself. Be present in the moment, especially when you go to these events, really interact with the community because some of the community members are just so amazing, and they have great stories about Hampton and are just great people to interact with,” Taylor said. “Enjoy the moment because the year does go by pretty fast.”
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78th Miss Hampton Beach Pageant this Sunday
The 78th Miss Hampton Beach Pageant returns this Sunday, July 28, where nine contestants will be judged based on “appearance, poise and personality.”
The competition will be held at the Seashell Stage at 2 p.m.
Contestants between the ages of 16 to 24 compete in swimsuit and evening gown competitions. The top five finalists selected will move on to the on-stage interview.
The Little Miss and Junior Miss Hampton Beach for contestants aged 5 to 9 and 10 to 15 will be on Saturday, July 27, at 2 p.m., with a total of 35 contestants combined. The competition will also be held at Seashell Stage.
Miss Hampton Beach is the second oldest pageant in the state. Stephanie Lussier, the pageant director who has been organizing the event for the past 27 years, was Miss Hampton Beach in 1995.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Miss Hampton Beach 2023: Rochester's Lexi Taylor reflects on year with crown
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