Crowned Queen at the Queen's Ball: Attendees carry on French tradition in Ste. Genevieve

Laura Jablonski is crowned queen of the Queen's Ball. The queen is the person who finds a figurine of the baby Jesus in their piece of cake.

Photo by Anwyn Suhr

Laura Jablonski arrived at the Queen’s Ball in Ste. Genevieve, Mo., dressed as a peasant woman but went home wearing the crown of the queen.

To find who would be crowned queen of the ball, the women were served cake, with one slice containing a figurine of baby Jesus. Jablonski said she went back for several pieces of cake until she found the figurine.

“I couldn’t believe I found the baby Jesus in the cake,” Jablonski said. “I was so excited.”

It was Jablonski’s first time attending the annual ball on Feb. 3 that raises funds for the Foundation for the Restoration of Ste. Genevieve. From St. Louis, she came with a group of friends and said she was “enchanted” by the hundreds of people crowded into the VFW Hall, many dressed as 18th-Century lords and ladies, soldiers and peasants. She put her outfit together from items she already owned, including a blue linen dress, vintage apron and pair of curtains she had sewn together from cheesecloth for a shawl.

“I was so entranced by all the beautiful costumes,” Jablonski said. “I just couldn't believe how everyone leaned into it.”

Jablonski chose Dan Prize to be the king. After being crowned the new queen, Jablonski and Prize led the revelers in a dance.

Attendees dance traditional dances at the Queen's Ball. This year, Dennis Stroughmatt and L'Esprit Creole provided the music.

Photo by Anwyn Suhr

King’s and queen’s balls are a tradition begun centuries ago in France and later brought to the newly “discovered” shores of North America. The balls were held at the feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6, Twelfth Night, each year to celebrate the visitation of the magi to the Christ child.

In those days, beans were baked into a cake and served to the gentlemen at the ball. The man who found the bean was named king of the revels and then chose his queen. Years later, the tradition changed to baking a tiny figure of the baby Jesus into a cake; whoever found the figurine in their piece of cake was crowned king of the ball.

The people of Ste. Genevieve have carried on this tradition since the 1700s. Mickey Koetting has been coming to the King’s Ball since 1971 and has been the coordinator for more years than she can remember.

Koetting said in 1992, women comprised the ball’s committee, and they decided it was time for a change.

“It's usually the men that get the pieces of cake. That's the custom that came from France, and whoever found baby Jesus got to be a king and choose their queen,” Koetting said. “We didn’t think that was fair, and since it was all ladies in charge that year, we decided on leap years, we would do a Queen’s Ball.”

At the ball, attendees participate in a variety of traditional dances, including reels, waltzes and square dances with names like the Paddle Dance, the Virginia Reel or the Shottish. This year, Deborah Hyland called the dances, and Dennis Stroughmatt and L'Esprit Creole provided the music.

Attendees dance at the Queen's Ball in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. On leap years like this one, the King's Ball becomes the Queen's Ball.

Photo by Anwyn Suhr

Stroughmatt said he’s been playing for balls and parties during the Carnivale season for more than 30 years. He said he loves singing in French, and one of his favorite songs he played at the Ste. Genevieve ball was “Grand Mere Se Plainte,” or “Grandmother Complains.”

Stroughmatt said this was the second year he has played for the Ste. Genevieve ball, and he was impressed by how many people were there this year.

“It’s fun, but it’s also kind of a marathon,” Stroughmatt said. “Some of those processional songs can go on for 15 minutes or more.”

The Ste. Genevieve King’s and Queen’s Balls have been going for centuries, and Koetting said she hopes they will continue for centuries to come.

“It’s one of those good things that’s just pure fun, and that’s what the King’s and Queen’s Balls are all about,” Koetting said. “Plus, it helps the foundation and the museum, so what’s not to love?”