CLEARFIELD – Eva Bloom, 18, of Clearfield was crowned fair queen Sunday during the 35th annual competition on the opening day of the 162nd Clearfield County Fair.
Bloom was crowned on the grandstand stage by Makenna Rummel, who saw her reign as fair queen come to an end in the same fairgrounds it all started in a year ago.
“I can’t wait” to spend this time with my court while enjoying a week at “home” completely surrounded by agriculture, Bloom expressed moments after her coronation.
Bloom spent the past year as the third runner-up in Rummel’s court, and Rummel promised to “be there” during her friend’s reign.
“You have one year— that’s 365 days—and trust me, it will go fast,” Rummel shared, while encouraging Bloom to seize every opportunity and cherish every moment.
Bloom is a recent graduate of DuBois Central Catholic High School and will be a freshman at Mercyhurst University this fall where she will major in pre-physician assistant sports medicine.
In high school, she was on the track & field and cross-country teams. She was also involved in student council, Kids and Confidence, Rotary Club among her many other activities.
Bloom will be joined in her court by First Runner-up Emily Smeal, 18, of Curwensville, Second Runner-up Lauren Kennedy, 16, of DuBois and Third Runner-up Cherish Kauffman, 18, of Mahaffey.
Jayna Vicary of the fair queen committee gave a brief overview of the fair queen competition before the results were given.
The county competition closely resembles the Pennsylvania State Fair Competition, at which Bloom will represent the Clearfield County Fair in January.
According to Vicary, 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 Sunday afternoon, they had appeared for a personal interview with the panel of judges.
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.
Each young woman answered the same impromptu question, which was how they saw Pennsylvania fairs evolving in the future.
Galla of Dan and Galla Variety Show served as master of ceremonies with 2021 Fair Queen Chloe Neal and Heather Olson-Desmett provided musical entertainment.
