Marisa Archuleta
For the first time in three years, contenders will vie for the title of queen of Fiestas de Las Vegas with a pageant.
Nevaeh Gurule
All are welcome to the free Las Vegas Fiesta Queen pageant, set to take place this Sunday, June 28 at 3 p.m. at the West Las Vegas High School cafeteria. Presented by the city of Las Vegas, the city hailed the event in a press release, stating that it will celebrate the “traditions, culture and heritage of Fiestas de Las Vegas.”
The pageant will have two contenders: Nevaeh Gurule and Marisa Archuleta. Ane Romero, coordinator of the Fiestas court, will serve as the master of ceremonies. Musical entertainment will be provided by Brenda Ortega.
“It’s a great opportunity to support our young women,” Romero said on Tuesday. “It’s a longtime tradition and it’s important to keep it going.”
Romero said Archuleta and Gurule will be interviewed by judges, deliver a speech and share a talent during the pageant.
The panel of five judges will determine who will be the next Fiestas Reina. Jaiden Saiz, the 2025 Fiestas Reina, will serve as one of the judges, Romero said. She said she worked to ensure that none of the judges know the contestants.
Romero noted that there has not been a Reina pageant in two years.
“We’re excited to have a pageant,” said Romero, who herself has a long trajectory in pageants and got her start competing when she became the Fiestas de Las Vegas Reina in 2021.
Romero was crowned Miss New Mexico in 2005 and went on to compete in the Miss America Pageant. Romero has passed along the knowledge she’s gained to Reina contestants. When she started helping the city with everything related to the Fiestas queen four years ago, she began offering guidance to contenders and Reinas.
She has helped the Fiestas queen be visible by supporting travel to nearby communities such as Taos, Mora, Santa Fe and Española.
“The program provides a platform for young women to be able to represent their community,” Romero said. She said she’s also worked with Reinas on their public speaking skills.
“You just see their confidence grow,” Romero said of Reinas and contenders. “The young women that you will see on Sunday will definitely be a lot more confident a year from now.”
“That’s one of my favorite parts of doing this and why I continue to come back,” Romero added.
Despite the pageant only having two contenders for the crown this year – there were three before one person dropped out – Romero said interest in earning the Reina crown has increased.
“We’ve been getting a lot more interest from young ladies in the community,” she said. “Our current Reina, Jaiden Saiz, has really been focusing on recruiting.”
Romero said that Saiz has maintained visibility by attending community events, but also had a service project that involved making pins that said “future Fiesta queen.” Saiz handed out these pins during the Fiestas de Las Vegas last year.
“She has been a wonderful representative for the community,” Romero said of Saiz. “She’s very welcoming. She’s very supportive. She’s not afraid to talk to other young girls about her time as reina and how much fun she’s had.”
“I think that personal perspective has really helped to get some good interest from her peers,” Romero added.
Romero thanked the city and Mayor David Romero for their support of the Fiestas court program. She said that, thanks to this support, the program can continue and offer other women the opportunity it offered her when she was crowned Fiestas Reina.
“I want to be able to give back and ensure that we have other young women that have those same opportunities,” Romero said.