By Debbie Adams
The 2024 Vinton Dogwood Festival is scheduled for April 26 and 27. Over the past few weeks,
The Vinton Messenger has been looking back on past Dogwood Queens leading up to this year’s
festival and the crowning of a new queen. Miss Vinton Dogwood Queen 2011, Chelsea
Greenway (now Bartlett), is featured this week.
When the Vinton Dogwood Festival was established in 1956, the Dogwood Queen was chosen
from princesses nominated by bands participating in the event. Beginning in the early 1980s, the
festival became a preliminary to the Miss Virginia and Miss America pageants, with
competitions in swimsuits and talent added to judges’ interviews to determine the winner. Since
the mid-1990s, the Dogwood Queen has been chosen from seniors at William Byrd High School
nominated by the faculty and then selected by judges on the day of the festival and parade.
Chelsea Greenway (now Bartlett) was chosen as Dogwood Queen for the 56th Annual Dogwood
Festival. She was interviewed the morning of the parade by a panel of judges with questions
about her community involvement, current activities, and future plans. During her senior year at
William Byrd, she was a member of the Leo Club, Spanish Club, and Beta Club, and co-editor of
the student newspaper. She played varsity tennis and had served as a Model General Assembly
member. Her plans were to attend James Madison University to become a physical therapist.
The other nominees that year were Sarabeth Landrum, Kelsey Owens, Kasey Short, Emily
Jervis, Taylor Patterson, Jodi Overstreet, Regan Drew, Madison Gensurowsky, and Christine
Vernon.
In an interview for the WBHS Black Swan yearbook, Bartlett said, “It was very surprising to
hear my name called[as queen], since I was not expecting it at all. It was also fun to get dressed
up because it was another time to wear an old prom dress. My favorite part about the Dogwood
Court was spending time with the other girls before the first interview. We were all giving out
tips for answering questions we were not prepared for. It was really cool to see how we all
wanted to help each other.
“I can remember going to the Dogwood Festival each year growing up, and we still go every
year as a family,” Bartlett says. “On that day, I just remember having so much fun getting dressed up and spending time with friends who were fellow contestants. To this day, two of the
girls who were selected as candidates are still my best friends.”
of Chelsea Greenway.
After the interview, she was crowned by Vinton Mayor Brad Grose at noon on the front portico
of the Vinton War Memorial.
Then she and the other members of the Dogwood Court were honored with a luncheon in the
grand ballroom of the War Memorial. After lunch, they boarded the Dogwood Queen float for
the parade, which in 2011 reversed course and began at the War Memorial instead of the old
William Byrd High School ball fields. The parade grand marshals that year were Manna
Ministries of Vinton, a non-profit which delivered food boxes to the needy in the Vinton area.
Chelsea Greenway Bartlett was Miss Vinton Dogwood Queen in 2011. She is pictured waving
from the Dogwood Court float in the parade. (photos courtesy of Paula Greenway)
“I felt honored to be a part of the famous Dogwood Festival of Vinton that year. It’s very
nostalgic, and I look forward to seeing the new queen each year!” Bartlett says.
She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from JMU, an Accelerated
Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Jefferson College of Health Sciences (magna cum
laude), her Master of Science in Nursing (with the highest honors) from JMU, and now works as
a Family Nurse Practitioner for Lewis-Gale Internal Medicine.
“I have the sweetest daughter and husband [Matt],” Bartlett says. “We share our home with two
dogs and two cats. We’re supported by the best family and friends anybody could ask for. God
has truly blessed me beyond measure.
“We have decided to put down roots in Vinton and don’t plan on moving. My dad, Tim
Greenway, has always been extremely proud of Vinton and the community we have here. We
attend Vinton Baptist Church and enjoy many local restaurants.”
Bartlett’s mother, Paula Greenway, says, “As a mother, there is nothing more precious than
witnessing your daughter achieve joy and success. Simply being on the Dogwood Court was
enough, but when Chelsea was crowned queen, the day became truly memorable.
“Seeing Chelsea’s hard work, dedication to good grades, and leadership skills being recognized
in this way made us very proud. Dogwood Day is special and we were both excited to be a part
of it. And, as always, Chelsea was prepared.
“Before Dogwood Day, we shopped for the perfect interview outfit and Chelsea chose the
beautiful prom dress she wore during her junior year to wear for the crowning. We were so
excited that she would get to wear it again.
“The luncheon afterwards and riding in the float in the parade were highlights of the day as well!
And the special jewelry they give the girls also was such a nice touch, I thought! I’m glad
Chelsea got to be a part of it.”
“When she was crowned, I remember being grateful that small towns still exist, and we were
able to raise all three of our children here– and the sense of community we feel. The memories
we carry with us from events like Dogwood Day last a lifetime.”
