The "Tail" of the Beaver Queen Pageant

By Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association

Over the last 18 years, the pageant has raised over $257,000 for Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA). But, we can't forget how it all started...

The first event was held in April of 2005 as a celebration of a successful community effort by the Duke Park neighborhood. The community was able to come together to stop the NC Department of Transportation from eradicating a den of beavers that had taken up residence in wetlands north of I-85. After performing an entertaining clog dancing routine, Beverly Woody was crowned the first Beaver Queen.

Then, in 2006, six people wanted to compete for the crown of Beaver Queen and The Beaver Lodge 1504 started organizing a formal pageant and a uniquely Durham tradition was born. Celebrity judges and bribes became the norm. Over the years, well over 50 people of many genders, races, and orientations have competed for the coveted Beaver Queen crown. We even crowned our first interspecies Queen, Miz Polly Nator, in the 2015 Beaver Queen Pageant and helped make Durham a Bee City.

Now, with the help of the Beaver Lodge, the Beaver Queen Pageant serves as ECWA's largest fundraising event of the year. The event is even starting to be popular outside of Durham and is featured in activities to do in North Carolina. 

You can watch previous year's Beaver Queen Pageants on the Beaver Lodge Youtube Channel.