(Indianapolis) – County fair queens from across Indiana are in Indianapolis this weekend for the Indiana State Fair Queen Program Competition, a three-day event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds that concludes Sunday with the crowning of the new state fair ambassador.
The annual competition brings together county fair queens from across the state, each advancing after winning a local fair queen pageant. The program evaluates communication skills, professionalism and readiness to serve as a statewide representative for Indiana’s fair system.
Among the contestants are Miss Franklin County Ayla Lienesch, Miss Ripley County Onika Struewing, and Miss Decatur County Addie Gauck.
Competition begins publicly on Saturday night during the Preliminaries, which will be held at Corteva Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The event starts at 5:00, with doors opening at 4:00. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the box office or through Ticketmaster.
Unlike a single-night pageant, the Indiana State Fair Queen competition unfolds over multiple days. Contestants take part in private interviews with judges, deliver a prepared speech, and compete in professional wear and formal wear segments. Finalists also answer on-stage questions designed to test poise, confidence and the ability to think quickly under pressure.
The winner will spend the next year serving as the official ambassador for the Indiana State Fair, traveling across Indiana to promote county fairs, agriculture, youth programs and community events in the months leading up to the State Fair’s annual run in August.
Lienesch advanced to the state competition after earning the Franklin County fair queen title last summer and has represented the county at fair events and community activities throughout the year.
Struewing was crowned Miss Ripley County in July at the Damm Theatre in Osgood, where she also received the pageant’s Professional Wear Award. She has represented Ripley County at numerous local events during her reign.
Gauck earned the Miss Decatur County crown in Greensburg in late June and was also named Miss Congeniality, an honor voted on by fellow contestants. She has represented Decatur County at fair functions and community appearances throughout the year.
While only one contestant will be crowned Miss Indiana State Fair, judges will also select a queen’s court. Participation at the state level is widely regarded as one of the highest honors in Indiana’s county fair system.
Results from the competition are expected to be announced Sunday.
