Greene County Fair Queen will crown a new queen as the fair-queen contest continues to grow
2022 Greene County Fair Queen Talia Tuttle.
The 2022 Greene County Fair Queen Talia Tuttle prepares for a parade with her signature tub full of candy to throw to the children on the parade route.
Talia Tuttle of Sycamore (front), said her time as the 2022 Greene County Fair Queen was "awesome."
For 2022 Greene County Fair Queen Talia Tuttle, the second time was the charm.
When the 19-year-old Sycamore woman competed for the coveted crown in 2021, she was named first alternate. Undeterred, she tried again last year and took home the top prize.
Over the past year, Tuttle said, it’s been an honor to spend time promoting agriculture throughout her home county and around the state.
“The experience for me has been awesome,” Tuttle said.
As queen, she attended different events on and off the fairgrounds, traveled many miles to different Pennsylvania fairs and events, and competed in the Pennsylvania Fair Queen competition in Hershey in January.
Although Tuttle said she didn’t make the top five in Hershey, she expressed gratitude for the many friends she made during the experience, and said she still keeps in touch with many of them.
Over the past year, she’s attended chamber banquets, commissioners luncheons, participated in fair board meetings, sang the National Anthem at different events and rode in parades, adding that the children went crazy when they saw the big tub of candy that she bought to throw to them during the parades.
She was glad to be accompanied by her younger sister, who acted as her photographer, and said those were a collection of memories that stuck with her.
Tuttle said she also enjoyed any time a young girl would look up to her at the fair and would say she wanted to be a fair queen one day.
“This is an opportunity I wish for every young girl in Greene County,” Tuttle said.
Beyond the sash and crown, Tuttle said she was also grateful to take part in the promotion of Greene County and the agriculture occurring within the county.
“It gives you a voice for Greene County you thought you never had,” Tuttle said.
The contest to name the Greene County Fair Queen is entering its 37th year. And, since it came under new leadership in 2021, the program has been expanding every year. The 2023 run is no exception.
“First, we are expanding the program for younger girls to participate,” said Melody Longstreth, the chairwoman of the Greene County Fair Queen Contest, which is now known as the Greene County Fair Queen and Princess Program. “We added a mini princess, a little princess and a junior princess program — three age divisions that are younger than the queen.”
The contest for the mini princess, the little princess and the junior princess will place on Sunday, July 30 at 1 p.m., followed by the queen contest at 4 p.m. Both contests will take place at the fairgrounds in Waynesburg.
This year’s queen contestants had to write a 300-word essay on “What my fair means to my community,” and give a 3- to 5-minute speech on “Why you should come to my fair.”
Additionally, queen candidates will take part in personal interviews, an evening gown contest, and will answer an impromptu question from the judges. Winners will also be chosen for most photogenic, best essay, best speech and most congenial.
Queen contestants range in age from 16 to 20, with junior princess contestants ages 13 to 15, little princess from 9 to 12 and mini princess from 6 to 8.
All winners will take part in the goings-on at the fair, which runs from Sunday, Aug. 6 through Saturday, Aug. 12.
“During the fair week, there’s a lot happening at the same time,” Longstreth said. “This expands the number of people to help during the fair and throughout the year.”
Another big change to the program is the queen’s award, which includes a custom crown and sash.
Longstreth said they reached out to Waynesburg University, and officials at the school agreed to present a $4,000 scholarship to the queen. The winner will receive $1,000 yearly, for four years, should she choose to attend Waynesburg University.
Another addition to the queen’s prize package, which Longstreth said is worth nearly $7,000, is participation in a training session run by national pageant coach and consultant and Waynesburg native Dr. Helen McCracken from Pageant Winner Consulting LLC. The session will be held before competing in the Pennsylvania Fair Queen pageant in January.
The virtual professional development trainings and one-on-one sessions will be between McCracken and the queens from the fairs of Greene, Fayette, Washington, Jacktown and West Alexander.
“It’s also lifelong learning to take into the job market or a college career,” Longstreth said, adding that each fair will take a turn sponsoring the training every year beginning with Greene.
This year, there are 10 contestants spread throughout all the divisions, and one will be crowned the queen.
Tuttle said the transition will be bittersweet.
“I’m procrastinating until the last minute,” she said. “I’m sad but grateful at the same time. I haven’t written my farewell speech yet because when I start typing it, I know I’ll cry.”
Tuttle graduated high school in 2022 and is currently a recruiter and administrator for Remark Acquisitions in Morgantown, West Virginia. She added that she might attend college to pursue a business degree, but is still undecided.