GET READY TO CAPTURE A CROWN
LISA HOBBS
News Editor
There have been two new categories added to this year’s Warren County A&L Fair’s pageants list: Senior Fairest of the Fair and Ms. Fairest of the Fair.
“I’m officially getting my own,” said Nedra Black. “I’ve always helped with the other ones. I’m the chairperson of these two. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while. So, we finally did it.”
Senior Fairest of the Fair is open to women who have reached their 60th birthday, as of Dec. 31, 2026. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. Ms. Fairest of the Fair is open to women ages 30 to 60, as of Dec. 31, 2026, but not her 60th birthday. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m.
While the beginning time for Senior Fairest is set in stone, the second is not. Black says Ms. Fairest of the Fair will begin immediately following the conclusion of Senior Fairest.
Black hopes these contestants have fun.
“I think a lot of the pressure is lifted, unlike contestants in the Fairest of the Fair, and I hope these contestants just have fun. That’s what I always tell the girls in the smaller pageants, especially if they look a little nervous, I’m like ‘just have fun.’ Don’t think about it as a competition, just have fun. To me, that’s what’s important.”
Both pageants require entries to be residents of Warren County and provide proof of residency. All contestants must attend practice and abide by all the rules or forfeit the right to participate. A contestant cannot qualify if she has been found guilty of a felony. Contestants must be, and must have always been, of the female gender. Dresses may be one or two pieces with no midriff showing or high slits; must be formal, floor length. Contestants will be judged on beauty, poise and personality. No drugs, drinking or improper behavior will be tolerated and reason for disqualification.
“The responses to these pageants have been positive, other than the one about having a felony,” said Black. “Honestly, we just took the Fairest of the Fair rules and just tweaked them.”
An online post has stirred controversy, as well as some light-hearted ribbing, because of their attempt to shame organizers for not allowing convicted felons to participate. A portion of it stated, “I don’t think just because you’ve been in trouble in the past that it should be held against you.”
Under that post, one person stated that they should host a bad girls’ pageant and only allow people with felonies and another individual speculated that some winners advance to other competitions and that is why no convicted felons are allowed to participate.
Black says these contests will not advance like that of the Fairest of the Fair and, “Pageant winners represent the fair, when it comes down to it.”
All existing pageants remain intact: The Baby Show, Tiny Fairest of the Fair, Little Fairest of the Fair, Pre-Teen Fairest of the Fair, Teen Fairest of the Fair, and Fairest of the Fair Pageant.
Registration for Warren County A&L Fair Pageants is Aug. 12-14, from 4-6 p.m., and Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Magnolia Room at Warren County Administrative offices building on Locust Street.