Bonbon Ball crowns Miss Bonbon 2013!
By Kathryn Quinn
By far the sweetest date in the Vienna Ball calender – the Bonbon Ball took place this weekend.
Without a doubt the highlight of the event is the Miss Bonbon vote – at the stroke of midnight the ten candidates who have been whittled down from over 180 possibles paraded onto the stage to strut their stuff in front of the jury moderated by Dominic Heinzl.
After a close vote the beautiful Géraldine Julie Chlubna, 26, took the title Miss Bonbon 2013 after winning over the prominent jury which included ball organiser Heinz Alphonsus, Miss Austria Amina Dag and many Austrian journalists.
Géraldine, from Mauritius, who registered as a Miss Bonbon candidate via Facebook dazzled in a pretty grey ball gown and won over the jury and the crowd with her good looks and sweet smile!
A beaming Geraldine was then weighed and the sponsors Manner dished out her weight in manner chocolate to a good cause!
The vote was close and second place went to Sophie Zechmeister who had been one of the favourites all along and she wowed the jury in an eye-catching, red, strapless gown.
Under the motto ‘Circus Circus’ more than 4,000 sweet loving guests danced the night away at the 64th annual Bonbon Ball held at the Wiener Konzerthaus.
The ball was opened at 9 PM with a traditional opening where 160 débutantes took centre stage – then the dance floor was open to all.
Couples waltzed into the wee small hours in the main ballroom to traditional Vienna orchestra ball room music and other rooms saw Cuban music where couples practised their Latino moves and more modern disco tunes.
It wasn’t just sweet girls on show either – there were plenty on offer for sweet lovers – sugary offerings from Rondino, Manner, Lindt, After Eight and Bahlsen as well as some 3,750 edible tombola prizes ensured no one was without energy to dance the night away on one of the many dance floors at the ball. Everywhere you turned there was chocolate to be enjoyed!
The ball wasn’t without prominent guests either Alfons Haider, Brigitte Kren, Willi Gabalier and Manfred Baumann were all at the ball!
The Bonbon Ball has long been a favourite on the Vienna ball scene and remains one of the most visited balls – with the first one taking place on 29th January 1947.
Since 1952 the sweetest young lady of the ball has been given the coveted Miss Bonbon title.
All in all it was a very ‘sweet evening’ full of surprises and a great atmosphere!