Most people think of classic fairytales when they hear the word “princess,” but they don’t look much beyond the handsome prince and sparkling crown. Leah Blankespoor, sophomore in event management, like many young girls, dreamt of becoming a princess. Unlike most, Blankespoor fulfilled that dream not once but twice, appreciating the hard work paired with the glorified title.

Coming from Pella, Iowa, a town of just more than 10,000 people, Blankespoor was immersed in the town’s heritage and traditions, especially the Dutch Tulip Time Festival. The three-day celebration in May drives the town’s tourism and small business industry, bringing in local and international visitors.

“My birthday is during Tulip Time, and I’ve always been a huge, huge fan of [it] because they kind of went hand in hand,” Blankespoor said.

She was very involved with the celebration during junior high and high school. She even participated in the festivities during elementary school; her family was part of the Dutch Family Singers, a group that sings and dances to traditional Dutch songs in authentic costume, including wooden shoes.

From a young age, she had her eyes set on the crown.

“[During the parade,] every little girl sees the Tulip Queen ride past in her horse-drawn carriage,” Blankespoor said, “and they say, ‘That’s what I want to be someday.’”

Blankespoor focused on dance, speech and theatre as she got older, with the thought of the Tulip Queen popping up from time to time. She also sang with the Dutchesses, another Dutch performing group, and played a part in her school’s rendition of “Beauty and the Beast.”

“That prepared me to try out for Tulip Queen,” Blankespoor said.

The Tulip Queen is selected the fall before Tulip Time, starting in September. Candidates must be at least 17 years old, be a resident of Pella and have to be nominated by an adult in the community.

“I was in my choir concert when I got the call, so I got off the stage,” Blankespoor said. “I called the number back, and they told me I made the top 12.”

Then everyone in the community votes for three girls during the competition to narrow the pool. Blankespoor won.

The next step was preparing for the Tulip Queen Announcement Party, a beauty pageant-like event with an interview round, 3-minute talent portion and an impromptu question at the end.

Throughout the whole process, her mom, Laura Blankespoor, was by her side. She understood the importance of Tulip Time because her sister and best friend were the Tulip Queen in high school. Although she helped previous contestants with their speeches and interview skills, Blankespoor refused help from her mom, determined to perfect her performance on her own.

“One of the hardest questions was ‘What is your worst quality?’” said Blankespoor. “It was hard because I wanted to be perfect for Tulip Queen but also wanted to show that I’m a real person.”

During the talent portion, she gave a speech about her life and what made her want to experience the Tulip Queen process, reminiscent of this year’s Miss Colorado’s monologue during the Miss America pageant, where Miss Colorado spoke about her career as a nurse. She also sang “In Faith Alone,” appealing to the town’s religious background.

After waiting backstage for 45 minutes, supportively smiling at one another, the results were announced. Blankespoor was crowned Tulip Queen after pining for the honor for so many years.

After that, she had her costume fitting for her traditional Dutch costume and prepared to ride in the parade. She also visited a children’s hospital, giving the children a chance to meet the new queen.

Blankespoor hosted other events throughout her 2014 reign, including the Tulip Queen Brunch, Tulip Queen Announcements and presentations about her year as Tulip Queen.

“It helped me decide what I wanted my major to be,” Blankespoor said. “That’s how I chose event management, because of the networking and tourism involved.”

Blankespoor’s mother, Laura, saw nothing but great things from her daughter as Tulip Queen.

“Leah became a better version of herself I believe — more poised, more professional, more articulate,” said Laura. “She was always looking for those on the fringes of the room to feel a part of it all.”

This past summer, Blankespoor landed an internship with the Pella Historical Society Museum, which she worked with closely as Tulip Queen. Noticing how much little girls looked up to her, Blankespoor started the Tulip Princess Academy, an event teaching children about the history of Tulip Time and what it’s like being queen. She also held a miniature tea party, complete with etiquette lessons.

Currently, Blankespoor works as Cinderella for Sarah Strominger’s Little Princess Parties, a company that has employees dress up as Disney princess and attend parties or events. Strominger heard of similar companies on the east coast and figured the Des Moines area would benefit from something so magical.

“I absolutely love bringing joy in its purest form to all of the little princesses we get to visit,” said Strominger. “Because of our success, we are also able to give back to our community and those less fortunate.”

Strominger’s requirements for a princess include beauty — inside and out — trained vocals, weekend availability and the ability to act and think quickly. Blankespoor exceeded all of her expectations.

“[She] has all the qualities I look for, and her time as Tulip Queen only enhanced her ability to stay poised and think quickly on her feet,” said Strominger. “She is also incredibly loving and giving; the children she meets adore her from the moment they lay eyes on her.”

This role filled the void Blankespoor felt once she was no longer Tulip Queen. She was able to use her public speaking and theatre skills and interact with kids again.

To prepare for her role as Cinderella, Blankespoor re-watched old movies to learn lines and perfect her character’s voice. She researched meet-and-greet videos online to practice answering the kids’ random questions, making sure she had a response for everything to create an authentic experience for the kids.

Throughout her time as Tulip Queen and currently as a professional princess, Blankespoor’s favorite part is interacting with people and learning their stories. She especially loves talking to the girls and making their day.

“You never know what that little girl is going through or what her life is like,” Blankespoor said, “it’s about making that moment so special.”

Without the dress and tiara, Leah Blankespoor is just a real person with a big heart and a love of the experience.

“[Her] role as a professional princess just makes me smile,” Laura said. “It has taught me to never squelch a child’s dream, because dreams really can come true.”