Jul 10, 2013 4 min read

WIND RIDGE – The Jacktown Fair has always been a part of Mandi Burns’ life, as many of her family members take part in helping put the fair together.

The event has become a memory stapled into her life.

“I have always been really close to it (the fair),” Burns, 18, said. “I always have enjoyed going to all the events, and each year there was always something new.”

The “something new” for Burns last year was becoming tMiss Jacktown Fair Queen. This year Burns, daughter of Ray and Lisa Burns of Wind Ridge, will carry out another old, yet new event – she will relinquish her title as 2012 Miss Jacktown Fair Queen and take part in the crowning of the 2013 queen.

The 2013 Miss Jacktown Fair Queen Pageant will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday in Commercial Hall at the Jacktown Fairgrounds. Burns will crown the new queen Tuesday at the upper grandstand, following the Jacktown Fair Parade.

Succeeding Burns will be either Tanya Phillips, 17, daughter of Terry and Ethel Phillips of New Freeport; Tabatha Schiller, 17, daughter of Frank and Suzette Schiller of Aleppo; Taylor Horr, 16, daughter of Mark and Nancy Horr of Holbrook; or Michaela Hildreth, 17, daughter of William and Sharon Hildreth of Nineveh.

Like many others who have worn the crown, the drive to become queen for Burns began when she was young.

“I always admired the girls competing, and I always wanted to be one of them someday,” said Burns.

When she became old enough to compete, she started the process to become queen. Burns had to fill out an application, write an essay of what the Jacktown Fair means to her community and prepare a three-to-five-minute speech on why people should attend the Jacktown Fair.

“The hardest part was the speech,” said Burns. “I just had so much I could say, but I had to keep it under five minutes.”

The Miss Jacktown Fair Queen competition was different last year, as no one ran against Burns. She said even though she was not competing against anyone, the application process was still the same. “In a way it took some of the fun out of it,” she said. “I mean, I was proud that I won, but it would have been more fun competing.”

Nonetheless, Burns won the crown and began her year filled with the queen’s duties.

Burns said this past year as queen has been one of the most memorable and experience-filled years of her life.

She has attended several more fairs than she normally does, such as the West Alexander Fair and the Allegheny County Fair. She also volunteered more than she had the chance to before being selected.

“I have done so much fun stuff this year and have gotten to meet so many cool people,” said Burns. “It really was an important year for me. I did so much.”

Burns has mixed feelings about the passing of the crown that will take place Tuesday.

“I don’t want to give up the crown. I would rather keep it for another year, but if I did my whole year over again I wouldn’t change anything about it,” she said

Burns advises the next queen to just let loose and enjoy every minute of the experience because it does have an expiration date.

“Take tons of pictures, too, because there are going to be so many events and memories this next year and you will want to capture all of them,” said Burns. “The more pictures, the more memories you will remember.”

Burns plans on moving forward to the next stage of her life, which is attending West Virginia University this fall to study accounting.