Miss Huntington Beach Queens’ Rose Garden celebrates 60th anniversary

The rose garden at Huntington Beach Civic Center has a new addition.

Nicole Allyson Vogt, the 2025 Miss Huntington Beach Queen, chose a “Mellow Yellow” rose to be planted on Friday morning.

“As Miss Huntington Beach 2025, I’ve had the honor of representing a city full of vibrant spirit, continuous warmth and community pride,” said Vogt, a recent graduate of Cal State Long Beach, the 112th queen in Huntington Beach history. “Through this journey, I’ve learned that kindness is not a gesture, it’s a way of life, just has Huntington Beach loves to represent.”

Miss Huntington Beach 2025 Queen Nicole Vogt happily tells the story of how she chose the “Mellow Yellow” rose with honored guests and city officials during the 60th annual Queens’ Rose Garden Ceremony at City Hall on Friday morning.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Vogt said the yellow rose signified that spirit, as a symbol of joy, friendship and new beginnings.

“It embodies the kind of light I strive to bring into every space I enter,” she said, adding that her mother and grandmother taught her what it meant to shine for others.

The 60th anniversary Queens’ Rose Garden ceremony was put on by the Sand Dollars of Huntington Beach. The nonprofit Sand Dollars and president Love Ghione organize the Miss Huntington Beach scholarship and pageant program each year; Vogt was crowed queen last October.

Miss Huntington Beach Princess Catherine Dosier sings the national anthem during the 60th annual Queen’s Rose Garden Ceremony at City Hall on Friday morning.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“Our mission here is to support young women in their quest to achieve their dreams,” Ghione said, giving a special shout out to Sand Dollars treasurer April Gentry and member Andrea Roberson for nursing the rose bushes back to health.

Marlena Guadarrama, the director of Miss Huntington Beach, introduced the queen and court to the audience. Vogt was joined at Friday’s ceremony by her court princess, Huntington Beach High graduate Catherine Dosier, who sang the national anthem.

Dosier now attends UC Irvine.

Miss Huntington Beach 2025 Queen Nicole Vogt is escorted by Huntington Beach Police Officer Josh Pena to the 60th annual Queen’s Rose Garden Ceremony at City Hall on Friday morning.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Other former Miss Huntington Beach Queens at the event included Laura Sholar Roberts (1976), Elaine Bauer Keeley (1979), Stacey Jue (1995), Jena Jean Faris (2017) and Ruby Brown-Bilyeu (2024).

Each queen since 1963 has been honored by planting a rose bush in a public location, which became City Hall when the new building was constructed in the 1970s.

Mayor Pat Burns, City Council members Don Kennedy and Butch Twining and City Clerk Lisa Lane Barnes also attended.

Jim Sankey talks about the history of the Queen’s Rose Garden during the 60th annual Queen’s Rose Garden Ceremony at Huntington Beach City Hall on Friday morning.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“I love the tradition,” Burns said. “Believe it or not, I’m kind of a goofy guy because I love roses. I used to grow them myself when I’d give them to my girlfriends and stuff when I was young. Now I’ve been married 37 years, so the roses don’t come as often, but they still come.

“Now I know a source of them,” he added, as the audience laughed.

Former Mayor Lyn Semeta emceed the event, which was followed by a catered reception at City Hall.

Miss California “Sweetheart” Sabrina Saffron, Miss Huntington Beach Queen Nicole Vogt and Miss Huntington Beach Princess Catherine Dosier, from left, take pictures following the 60th annual Queens’ Rose Garden Ceremony at City Hall on Friday morning.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)