MEYERSDALE ― The 2024 Somerset County Fair Queen Contest will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday in front of the Somerset County Fair grandstand.
This year four young women are vying for the title: Jovi Jeske of Boswell, Natalie Trowbridge of Meyersdale, Sydney Walker of Berlin and Jaley Maley of Salisbury.
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"The role of serving as Somerset County Fair Queen is so much more than obtaining a shiny crown and beautiful sash. The Somerset County Fair Queen has the honor and duty of representing the fair and the greater Somerset County agriculture industry throughout the following year," said Mikayla O’Brien, one of the Somerset County Fair Queen Program coordinators, in an email.
"Her role is to engage with the public to encourage their support and personal education on the importance of fairs, as well as the larger agricultural community. The fair queen attends many events throughout the county and state, including representing Somerset County at the Pennsylvania Fair Queen Competition, attending other fairs and parades, and completing service activities."
The contest is held on Free Gate Day, compliments of Somerset Trust Co.
The fair queen and her court spend the week at the fair volunteering at livestock shows, introducing the grandstand events, greeting the public, and more. The fair queen and her first alternate are utilized throughout the year and attend events across the county and commonwealth to represent the fair. The queen also participates in the state competition in Hershey in January.
"The contest is not only an opportunity to compete for the prestigious title of fair queen. All participants gain valuable experience and assistance in the areas of ambassadorship, public speaking, positive presentation of self, interview and application creation skills, and more," O'Brien said. "Through their experience on the Fair Queen Court, our contestants have the responsibility of volunteering at the fair, engaging with the public, and representing themselves, their families, and our community."
Outgoing Queen Kaylin Weaver of Friedens and First Alternate Samantha Jo Hayman of Berlin totaled 50 promotional events outside of the fair week. Those appearances include attending fairs, reading to classrooms for Ag Literacy Week, volunteering at livestock shows, and riding in parades. Weaver will attend the University of Tennessee in the fall to study animal science while Hayman will attend Mount Aloysius for nursing.
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The 2024 contestants:
Jovi Jeske Jeske is 19 years old and a sophomore at Flagler College, where she studies journalism. Jeske formerly showed market swine and goats at the fair. She would like to be the queen to share about the fair in the Somerset County community and across the state.
Natalie Trowbridge Trowbridge is 16 years old and a junior at Meyersdale Area High School. She is active showing horses, including draft and saddle horses, as well as barrel racing in the rodeo. She would like to become the queen as it has been a dream of hers ever since she was a little girl.
Sydney Walker Walker is 16 years old and a junior at Berlin Brothersvalley High School. She shows market goats and lambs at the fair as well as volunteers in the 4-H Dairy Bar. Walker would like to be queen because a friend of hers formerly served as queen and encouraged her to run.
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Jayla Maley Maley is 17 years old and a senior at Salisbury-Elk Lick High School. Maley’s involvement at the fair is in the grandstand where she enjoys the pulls and demolition derby each year. Maley wants to be queen to represent something greater than herself.
The 124th annual Somerset County Fair will be held Aug. 15-24 at the Somerset County Fairgrounds in Meyersdale.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: 4 to compete for title of 2024 Somerset County Fair Queen Sunday
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