The Emo Fair queen and her two princesses had no time to rest on their laurels after last Thursday night’s crowning as they went around the fairgrounds during the rest of the cold, damp weekend.
“I was shocked,” newly-crowned Sis Wilson said the next day. “I was crying, I couldn’t believe it.”
Wilson, First Princess Krista Kellar, and Second Princess Brandy Hyatt were real troopers in the face of Mother Nature. Jeans and long-sleeved shirts were worn under their sashes as attended many events and handed out prizes at the Grandstand Jam.
And their datebooks are filling up fast.
Kellar is off to the Dryden fair next weekend. “They don’t have [a fair pageant] so they invited me to be in the parade,” she noted.
She entered the Emo Fair queen pageant because her family has always been involved with the parade. “It’s always been a big part of my life and I wanted to take part,” Kellar remarked.
And was it worth it? “It was worth it, big time,” she enthused.
Kellar also has been invited to take part in the BIA’s “harvest festival” in Fort Frances on Sept. 14. “It’ll be good advertising for the fair,” she reasoned.
Kellar and the other five contestants all said they were very appreciative of their sponsors. “Without them [Devlin Automotive], I wouldn’t have been able to run,” she stressed.
Seats for last Thursday’s talent night and crowning upstairs at the Emo-La Vallee Community Centre almost were filled a full half-hour before the start time. Dozens of people had to make do by standing in the back.
Dapper emcee Doug Hodge entertained the crowd in between the talent show participants.
Hyatt kicked off the evening with a video collage of her figure skating career, starting when she was six years old, including her performance at the all-Ontarios in Gravenhurst when she was 11.
The montage showed how she had made remarkable improvement over the years and was an interesting way to showcase her talent.
Wilson performed a skit based at the “Roseberry Runway” coffee shop and was a crowd favourite when she danced to “Do You Love Me?”
Jade Allen, who later was named Ms. Congeniality, had help from her sister, Jessica, eight, and brother, Valence, 12, as they performed a satirical “redneck” skit while Kellar performed as “Elfis”—a mini-Elvis complete with wig and scarf throwing.
Christine Badiuk (with sister, Kim, singing back-up vocals and accompanied by Danny Schulzki on guitar), sang “Fishing in the Dark” while Heather Hartlin sang Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.”
Jerry Donaldson was among those who provided entertainment between the contestants, singing Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?”
“I think the Rainy River fair board is asking that very question,” joked Hodge.
Others included public-speaking guru Robin McCormick, who gave a speech on “Using Your Talents,” Julie Campagna sang “Let ’er Rip” by Shania Twain, and future pop star Schulzki sang “Hit Me Baby, One More Time” by Britney Spears, ending the song with the line, “Hit Me Baby, Not too Hard.”
“Has this valley ever got some talent!” Hodge exclaimed.
The grand finale gave the judges a chance to make their final decision as well as allow last year’s Emo Fair royalty a chance to reminisce and showcase their comedic talents.
2001 Queen Kelly Nielson, First Princess Dianna Redford, and Second Princess Nicki Baker talked about “all the great stuff” the pageant allowed them to do.
“I was so nervous about being in front of people but now I love it,” remarked Redford. “I’ve even been in the paper a few times.”
The skit ended with the 2001 winners trying to hide their sashes and crowns before being foiled by this year’s contestants.
The various category winners were:
•Dorothy Bonot award—Christine Badiuk
•Ms. Congeniality—Jade Allan
•Banners—1. Brandy Hyatt/Sis Wilson (tie) 2. Krista Kellar 3. Christine Badiuk
•Interviews—1. Krista Kellar 2. Sis Wilson/Jade Allan (tie) 3. Brandy Hyatt
•Fashion—1. Brandy Hyatt 2. Christine Badiuk 3. Sis Wilson
•Floats—1. Brandy Hyatt 2. Christine Badiuk 3. Sis Wilson
•Entertainment—1. Christine Badiuk 2. Krista Kellar 3. Sis Wilson
“It was very, very, very close,” said pageant chairperson Lucinda Meyers. “The [lead] waffled back and forth between categories.
“I’ve never seen it so close.”
Contestants who sold all their buttons also received pearl earrings.