On Wednesday, the national talent competition and pageant, If the Shoe Fits, which names the new Queen of New Year’s Eve has announced the winner of the six-city 2026 tour as Jada Pinkett Fox of Dallas. Yes ma’am!
“We are so thrilled to showcase Key West and our new Queen of New Year’s Eve to the world this December 31 with our 29th annual High Heel Shoe Drop Extravaganza,” If the Shoe Fits Production Director and host Patrik Gallineaux said in today’s press release. “Jada Pinkett Fox will truly wow the thousands joining us live on Duval Street and the millions watching via CNN”.
Presented by Bourbon Street Pub, New Orleans House and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the National Finals took place on Oct. 10 out on Duval Street where the annual New Year’s Eve Extravaganza takes place. Last year’s reigning queen Mulan Alexander, also of Dallas, opened the show as her farewell number before handing off the title.
Judges included Joey Schroeder (founder of the High Heel Shoe Drop and owner of Bourbon Street Pub), Bria Ansara (New Year’s Eve Show Director), Jeffrey Smead (General Manager of Island House Key West, supporting partner of If the Shoe Fits), Mark Gardner (General Manager of the soon to re-open Aqua Key West) and the original star of the High Heel Shoe Drop for 25 years, Sushi.
The event was emceed by Patrik Gallineaux, If the Shoe Fits Director of Production and co-host of the annual Shoe Drop.
Local guest performers included Beatrix Dixie, Holly Dae, Jessica Devereaux and Stevie B. Lords.
The six finalists were TP Lords of South Florida (first-runner up), Fifi Dubois from New York City (second runner-up), Los Angeles/WeHo queen Calypso Jete, Brandii Benet out of Minneapolis and Arsyn Ick from North Florida. All contestants competed in three categories including Introductions and First Impressions, Talent and the Key West-style combination of Evening Gown and Interview.
This year’s competition was a showdown of dancing, special effects, original songwriting, and in the case of the winner Jada Pinkett Fox, live vocals.
Along with the crown, Fox won a six-day return stay at New Orleans House for New Year’s Eve plus a $2,000 appearance fee courtesy of Bourbon Street Pub and the TDC plus round-trip airfare courtesy of Island House with all flights arranged by HE Travel.She will also receive a custom couture costume designed by Sushi, to be debuted on Dec. 31.
CNN has confirmed to go live again this New Year’s Eve from the Shoe Drop with correspondent Randi Kaye facilitating coverage with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen in Times Square leading up to the “Queen of New Year’s Eve” descent during the countdown to 2027 at midnight.
“All of Key West looks forward to welcoming Jada Pinkett Fox back to Key West at the end of December,” Shoe Drop Executive Producer Joey Schroeder mentioned in the release. “She is such a professional, full of positive energy; a true beam of light—the perfect New Year’s Eve Queen to welcome 2027.”
Fox is currently starring in cleaVage by MusicalWriters.com at Theatre Three proving she can do it all.
–Rich Lopez