Last Updated on April 19, 2026, 3:54 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Saint Lucia’s Emerle Tisson has won the title of the 2026 Sint. Maarten Carnival Caribbean Queen on Wednesday night, 15 April 2026. This year the event marked its second edition during the 55th anniversary celebrations of St Maarten Carnival.
The pageant took place at the Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village in Sint Maarten and the event was held under the theme of “Queens of Sun & Sail”. The theme highlights the cultural expression and regional pride which as part of the annual carnival festival of St. Maarten.
The pageant was hosted by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF). In the pageant Emerle Tisson showcased strong and consistent performance which resulted in her victory with a margin of five points between first and second place.
Moreover, apart from winning the St. Maarten Carnival Caribbean Queen title, she also captured the titles of Best National and Evening Wear. The first runner-up place was secured by Miss St Eustatius, Kentonea Fortin and Miss St. Maarten, Keisy Quant earned the second runner-up.
Additionally, titles such as Best Talent went to Miss Barbados, Simone Williams, Miss St. Maarten secured the title of Best Swimsuit and Miss St. Eustatius was awarded with Best Answer to the Identical Question.
Initially in the pageant 13 participants were competing for the title from across the Caribbean region, but in the final competition only nine delegates were featured.
The nine delegates who sought for 2026 St. Maarten Carnival Caribbean Queen included:
Contestant No. 1 – Emerle Tisson (Saint Lucia)
Contestant No. 2 – Kentonea Fortin (St. Eustatius)
Contestant No. 3 – Keisy Quant (St. Maarten)
Contestant No. 4 – Jasmin Jade Ruan (Anguilla)
Contestant No. 5 – Kia Kirwan ( Antigua and Barbuda)
Contestant No. 6 – Simone Williams (Barbados)
Contestant No. 7 – Renne Davis (Nevis)
Contestant No. 8 – Naysa Semper ( Trinidad and Tobago)
Contestant No. 9 – Dahvana Providence ( St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) said that this year they have the aim to continue nurturing and growing the event through the cooperation with other Caribbean neighbours.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
