Moore encourages interest in 2017 GJCF Queen

     My name is Cassidy Moore, and I was honored to be selected as the 2016 Great Jones County Fair Queen.

     I graduated high school in May 2015 from Lisbon, my hometown. In the upcoming school year I will be a senior at Iowa State University, majoring in Supply Chain Management with a minor in Management.

     This past year has been full of many wonderful opportunities that I will remember for the rest of my life. It all began with the parade, spa day, and practice. July 10, 2016 was Pageant Day. It started with one-on-one five-minute interviews with the judges. From here, the contestants went back to the Eagles Club and began working on stage appearances. While working on our stage appearances, we showed our creativity through performing skits. For my “What does the fair mean to you?” skit, I performed a mix of songs from the artist that was performing at the fair. I ended the performance with shooting confetti that acted as my fireworks finale after the concert. After the skits were finished, we moved on to the evening gown portion. The evening gown was a time where we were asked questions on stage by the previous Fair Queen, Ellen Schlarmann, and Fair Princess, Calli McQuillen. At the end of the pageant we crowned our Little Miss, which is a young girl that inspires us in our everyday lives. I was honored to crown Annie Schlarmann as my Little Miss. After the pageant was over, we ate dinner with the judges. From here, all contestants waited until July 19, 2016, where we made our appearance on stage at the fairgrounds to find out who would be crowned Jones County Fair Queen. After my name was announced, I had no idea what the following year would look like for me.

     The first duty as Queen was to attend many events at the Great Jones County Fair. Events included: handing out ribbons, asking questions at the Kiddie Dairy Show, doing arts and crafts at the Kids Zone, standing at the gate entrances and talking with people, interviews, tasting BBQ at the BBQ contest, and much more.

     I have always loved showing cattle at the fair and attending the concerts. As Queen, you get to experience the behind-the-scenes work that many people do to help put on the wonderful fair that we have.

     After the fair was over, it was time to prepare for the Iowa State Fair queen competition. I was so excited to go and represent Jones County and meet the other 102 queen contestants. The State Fair contest was filled with multiple interviews, on-stage appearances, volunteering on the fairgrounds, and many small sessions the queens could attend. On Aug. 13, 2016, all 103 county queens gathered on stage for the coronation of the State Fair Queen. I was honored to be selected as the 2016 Iowa State Fair Queen Second Runner-Up. After the State Fair competition, I rode in parades and got to meet many supportive people.

     Being the Great Jones County Fair Queen has taught me many life lessons. I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to experience the county queen life. I highly recommend to anyone, even with slight interest, to consider running for fair queen. It is an opportunity of a lifetime that gives young ladies a chance to leave their comfort zone and find confidence they did not think they had. Running for fair queen also gives you an opportunity to meet and build connections with other contestants. Applications are available on the Jones County Extension website, Great Jones County Fair website, can be picked up at the Fair Office, or can be e-mailed. Applications will be due Monday, June 5, 2017.

     Other important dates to remember: Jones County Fair Kick-off party is Wednesday, June 14 at 6 p.m.; workshop and spa day are Monday, June 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monticello Fourth of July Parade is Tuesday, July 4 at 10:30 a.m.; pageant day is Sunday, July 9 all day; and finally the coronation is Tuesday, July 18, at 6 p.m.

     I encourage all of you to try something new and experience this great opportunity. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and get in contact with me.

     Will you be the 2017 Great Jones County Fair Queen?