CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Fair Queen Contest is still open for entrants. The on-stage contest will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at the Grandstand at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds.
Judges will select the Clearfield County Fair Queen, as well as a first and second runner-up. The queen and her court will represent the Clearfield County Fair and Clearfield County for one year.
In June, entrants begin the contest by submitting an essay titled: “What My Fair Means to My Community.” On Sunday, July 27, entrants will participate in a personal interview prior to the on-stage contest.
Entrants then take part in an on-stage contest, which consists of a three- to five-minute speech on “Why You Should Come to My Fair.” Their contest concludes on-stage with the evening gown/introduction competition.
The Fair Queen committee’s first meeting for entrants is 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Expo II Building at the Clearfield County Fairgrounds. It’s to familiarize entrants with the guidelines of the contest and the program.
Entrants will then need to write their essay and submit it to the fair office, so that it may be forwarded to the judges for scoring. A second meeting will be held June 24 to allow the entrants to hone their introduction and speech and obtain advice from the committee.
This year’s Clearfield County Fair Queen Committee includes Coordinator/Publicity Director Brenda Morgan and past fair queens Shania Franson, Jana Davidson, Jamie Straub, Rachel Davidson, Leah Albright, Halee Kephart and Melanie Swartz.
The Queen Program is more than a contest. It was developed to assist young women in realizing their potential, building towards a better future, becoming an active part of their community and learning about agriculture, Pennsylvania’s number one industry.
The young women who have participated in the Queen Program gained benefits, such as boosting self-confidence; enhancing wiring and public speaking skills; experiencing the networking opportunities with local and state officials; enhancing their resume; gaining knowledge of Clearfield County and agriculture; impacting the lives of young women; becoming a role model; and experiencing the organization of local events.
Former Queen Halee Kephart stated, “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.”
After the contest, the 2014 Clearfield County Fair Queen and her court will:
- 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 for Queens for a Cause, benefiting Children’s Miracle Network and local charities, as well as assisting local charitable organizations upon request.
Fair Queen entry forms are available on the official fair Web site, www.clearfieldcountyfair.com, or at the fair office. Entry forms are due to the fair office no later than Monday.
Entry forms can also be turned in at the first meeting on Tuesday. Prospective entrants are invited to attend the first meeting to learn more about the contest before committing to compete.
For questions, or to request an entry form, please email clfdfairqueen@yahoo.com.