Hawkinberry named Washington County Fair queen
New royalty has been installed in Washington County.
Ashlin Hawkinberry was crowned Washington County Agricultural Fair queen Saturday during a coronation ceremony in the show tent at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
In order to compete for the crown, contenders must be 16 to 20 years old, reside in Washington County and exhibit at the fair. Eight contestants vied for top position.
According to fair queen coordinator Denise Leigh, the contestants were judged on poise, appropriateness of appearance, neatness, personality, articulation and their potential as a youth ambassador.
Before the ceremony, the contestants were judged on their presentations, “Why you should attend the Washington County Fair” before a panel of three judges – Alexus Cash, a former York County fair queen; Christine Greig, a certified judge for the Miss America Pageant circuit; and George Greig, state Secretary of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015.
At the fairgrounds, contestants relayed to the crowd their most memorable fair experience. The top four then answered impromptu questions asked by the judges.
The runner-up, Allana McCoy, was named princess.
Hawkinberry will represent the Washington County Fair in Hershey at the January state Association of County Fairs convention against about 60 other contestants.
In addition to passing out ribbons and hosting guests of the fair, duties of the queen and princess include educating the public about agriculture. Throughout the next year, Hawkinberry and McCoy will go into preschool and elementary classes to teach students about farms as sources of food.
“The county fairs in Pennsylvania are a showcase for agriculture in our county,” said Leigh. “To have a young representative as an ambassador for our fair is the perfect way to educate the county on agriculture.”