CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Fair Queen Contest is now accepting entries for the upcoming contest to be held on July 29. The purpose of the competition is to select the new Clearfield County Fair Queen, a 1st Runner up and a 2nd Runner up from this group of contestants who will represent the Clearfield County Fair and Clearfield County for one year.
The Clearfield County Fair Queen Competition takes center stage on July 29 at 3 p.m.; however, the competition actually begins in June with the submission of an essay on “What my Fair Means to My Community”. The Queen’s committee will meet with contestants in early June to familiarize them with the guidelines of the competition and the program. Contestants will then need to write their essay and submit it to the Fair Office so it may be forwarded to the Judges for scoring. A second meeting will be held in late June to allow the contestants to work on their bio introduction, speech and obtain advice from the committee.
The Queen’s Committee is comprised of former Clearfield County Fair Queens Jana Davidson, Shaina Franson, Jamie Straub, Rachel Davidson, Leah Carr, and Halee Kephart. Reigning Fair Queen Melanie Swartz and Publicity Director/Coordinator Brenda Morgan complete the committee.
The Queen Program is much more than a contest though. This program was developed to assist young women to realize their potential, build towards a better future, become an active part of their community, and learn about agriculture, Pennsylvania’s number one industry.
The young women who have participated in the Queen Program gained such benefits as:
- Boosting Self Confidence
- Enhanced Writing Skills
- Enhanced Public Speaking
- Experienced great networking opportunities with local and state officials
- Enhanced Resume
- Gained knowledge of Clearfield County
- Gained knowledge of Agriculture
- Impacted the lives of young women
- Became a role model
- Experience in organizing and running events
Former Queen Halee Kephart states “For me, the queen program was more than benefits. It changed my life. I learned so much – from how to speak publicly and be comfortable with it – to what I wanted to do in my future career.”
The entire competition contest consists of:
- Written Essay on the topic “What My Fair Means to My Community” (300 words or less)
- Personal Interview – each contestant will meet alone with the panel of (3) judges
- Speech Presentation on the topic “Why You Should Come to My Fair”. (3-5 minutes; timed event).
- Evening Gown/Introduction – this segment is conducted on the main stage in front of the grandstand following Speech Presentations. Each Contestant makes a personal introduction to the audience, similar to that which a Fair Queen would give when visiting a Fair or other public event. The Contestant has approximately 15 seconds to make this introduction.
After the competition the newClearfieldCounty Fair Queen and Court will serve in the following capacities:
- Attend and participate in events/activities throughout fair week
- Represent the Clearfield County Fair at events and appearances as approved by the Queen’s Committee.
- Promote greater public understanding, awareness and interest in Pennsylvania Agriculture and the Clearfield County Fair.
- Be actively involved in raising funds forQueensfor a Cause, benefiting Children’s Miracle Network and Local Charities, as well as assisting local charitable organizations upon request.
Entry forms are available on the Fair Web site, or at the Fair Office. Entry forms are due to the fair office no later than May 31. For questions, or to request an entry form, please emailclfdfairqueen@yahoo.com.