CLEARFIELD – Jayna Vicary, 18, of Curwensville was crowned fair queen Sunday during the 30th annual competition on the opening day of the 158th Clearfield County Fair.
She was crowned on the grandstand stage by Emily Andrulonis, who saw her reign as fair queen come to an end in the same spot it all started in a year ago.
Vicary will be joined in the queen’s court by first runner-up Rebecca Liddle, 18, of DuBois and second runner-up Kyrsten Kowalczyk, 19, of Flinton.
“I am so excited to represent our fair,” Vicary expressed. “I am feeling so overwhelmed right now but so looking forward to it. I want to take it all in – every minute of it.”
During her timed speech, Vicary shared that Pennsylvania has over 100 fairs; however, her fair was “by far the best” and “will always be in her heart.”
For her, the county fair is tied to family traditions and memories, and it was always a day well-spent if you went home with “dirty fair feet.”
Her fair also offers the “signature livestock smell,” as you wait in line for monkey bread. But she encouraged fairgoers to take their experience beyond that and learn “what it’s all about.”
Rachel Carr Davidson, fair queen committee member, gave a brief overview of the fair queen competition for audience members before the results were given.
The county competition closely resembles the Pennsylvania State Fair Competition, at which Vicary will represent the Clearfield County Fair.
According to Davidson, contestants had already completed a couple parts of the competition, including a personal essay on what the fair means to their community.
Before the on-stage competition, they had appeared for a personal interview with the panel of judges. They also had participated in a non-judged reception with the judges.
Afterwards on-stage, contestants competed in a timed three- to five-minute speech on why people should come to their fair and an evening gown/personal introduction.
Due to having a small group of contestants this year, Davidson explained a top five wasn’t being selected and each young woman was answering the impromptu question on why fairs are important.
Vicary said fairs provided people an opportunity to learn and grow their knowledge of agriculture, Pennsylvania’s No. 1 industry, and a source of enjoyment.
Bob E. Day served as the master of ceremonies, an honor he’s had since first doing so at the 1992 fair queen competition. Day was joined on stage by Rachel Duke, 2016 Fair Queen and 2017 Pennsylvania Fair Queen Alternate.
