ADRIAN — It was an evening of talent, charisma and inspiration on Sunday when the Lenawee County Fair ’s annual queen’s contest took center stage on the bandshell.
People who are attending this week’s fair will more than likely get the opportunity to meet and chat with the newly crowned 2024 Lenawee County Fair Queen and her court.
Vivian Hinde, a Blissfield resident, was selected as this year’s queen in her first time competing in the fair contest. Hinde was one of 13 local, young women who took to the bandshell stage on the first day of the 2024 fair and took part in a 10-minute private interview earlier in the day, on-stage question and answer, a talent performance and evening gown, which is designed to exhibit elegance and poise.
Each contestant also is required to have a platform, which can be based on an issue or cause that is relevant to the world or specific to the contestant. The contestants were asked to give a short introduction about their platform.
Hinde’s platform is supporting local farmers.
As the newly crowned Fair Queen, she said she intends to use her title as an inspiration for young girls and to promote the importance of agriculture.
When she was younger, Hinde said she was very shy. programming through 4-H and the Lenawee County Fair brought out her enthusiasm. Today, she does what she can to support the Lenawee County 4-H youth and those who lack self-confidence.
“You can do anything,” she said, describing the Fair’s Queen’s contest as a wonderful opportunity for young women to take a chance on.
“I am so excited,” she said after the crowning. “The Lenawee County Fair means everything to me, and I am so happy that I can represent it in this way now.”
Hinde was the 12th contestant of the 13 Fair Queen hopefuls, which consisted of Denae Covey, Mikaela Gray, Tanana Emmendorfer, Haylee Vore, Brooke Robinson, Jessica Scott, Makenzie Simpson, Grace Appling, Gretchen Gautz, Abyona Freeman, Allison Brockway and Maggie Meyers.
Appling finished as second runner-up and Emmendorfer — for the second consecutive year — was named first runner-up in the queen’s contest. Together with Hinde, Appling and Emmendorfer make up the Fair Queen’s court, which will take part in various activities around the Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds this week, including opening daily events at the grandstand.
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The queen and her court of runners-up serve as ambassadors of the fair and of Lenawee County after fair week has concluded. The Lenawee County Fair Queen makes appearances at local events and is commonly a participant in local parades.
“I was in shock, actually,” was Hinde’s response to what she immediately felt when she heard her name revealed as the 2024 Lenawee County Fair Queen. “There were a lot of amazing girls out here tonight. There were 13 of us and this was my first time competing.”
Being involved for many years in 4-H, she would show sheep at the fair. Last year, however, was the last time she showed livestock at the fair.
“This year is my first year out of it,” she said. “I’ve been supporting our youth this year. I love being there and supporting them.”
Since the queen’s competition is also a scholarship program, contestants earn scholarship money. Hinde received a $1,000 educational scholarship; Emmendorfer received a $500 scholarship; and Appling received a $250 scholarship.
Contestants in the Lenawee County Fair Queen’s contest must be at least 16 years old, but not older than 22 as of July 1 of the current year. They also must be single, without a child and must live or go to school full-time in Lenawee County.
Contestants do not need to be involved in any kind of 4-H programming.
“This group of girls is amazing. They are all sweet and they all deserve to win. I am just so blessed that I can have this opportunity,” Hinde said.
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Other awards won by the contestants included Robinson winning the People’s Choice Award, Covey winning the Miss Congeniality Award, Emmendorfer winning the Interview Award, and Vore winning the Talent Award for her gymnastics floor routine to “The Greatest Showman.” The Talent Award is sponsored and chosen by the Sound Doctor crew, which provides and maintains all audio and amplification at the fairgrounds during Fair Week.
The hosts of this year’s contest were current Adrian Mayor and 1986 Lenawee County Fair Queen Angie Sword Heath and 1995 Lenawee County Fair Queen Jolie Bailey.
Judges for the queen’s contest included Cindy Carver, a Lenawee County resident for 28 years whose daughter, Haley Petrowski-Entmaa, was crowned Lenawee County Fair Queen in 2016 and Blissfield’s Miss River Raisin Festival in 2018; Scott Holtz, an Onsted High School graduate and an Adrian College alumnus; and Jennifer Long, a University of Michigan graduate and a registered nurse at Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor who is a volunteer with the Lenawee County Fair and helps with the merchants and vendors.
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman .
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Blissfield resident Vivian Hinde crowned on Sunday as 2024 Lenawee County Fair Queen
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