This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
CENTRE HALL — As Centre County is gearing up for the 151st Grange Fair from Thursday, Aug. 14, through Saturday, Aug. 23, Kryslynn Ronk is getting ready to pass the crown as she reflects on her year as the Centre County Grange Fair Queen.
The Spring Mills native was crowned as the 20th Grange Fair Queen in 2024. She explained that it was the people around her who had inspired her to take on the challenge of running for Fair Queen.
“During my time in color guard is where I met Ella Smith, who is known as the 2022 Centre County Great Fair Queen. She is the one who helped me step out of my box of being the shy girl by convincing me to run for Fair Queen,” Ronk said.
“I always loved watching the coronation with my mom and my grandparents, especially my grandma Rita, who had passed in 2018, and with Ella’s encouraging words and wanting to make my grandma Rita proud is where my interest in the Fair Queen program started.”
However, Ronk explained that her interest in the Grange Fair goes much deeper than that. As long as she can remember she said she’s been attending the fair as well as entering painting, porcelain dolls and seashells in the hobby boxes. She also twirled in the parade for many years.
Her deep roots in the Centre County Grange Fair lead into many of her favorite parts of the fair today, from looking at the hobby boxes and tram rides to seeing the horse shows and visiting the fair’s many vendors.
“I also love spending time with my family and keeping our family fair traditions alive like ham and potpie night with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and even cousins,” Ronk said.
Over the past year, Ronk’s responsibilities in representing the fair have included interacting with the public and promoting Centre County’s agricultural scene at parades, fall festivals, fairs and more.
“I have had many responsibilities as fair queen, such as attending a queen advocacy day at the capital to advocate for the line budget that our fair receives, as well as going to states in January to spread awareness about our fair and compete for the PA State Fair Queen program,” Ronk shared.
“I’ve attended a couple of Grange meetings, and I’ve met some really amazing ladies along the way from other fairs and I’ve even attended their fairs Queen coronations but one main responsibility of being queen is being a role model for the younger generation and promoting our fair and the importance of fairs and agriculture and how it’s involved in our everyday life.”
While the Grange Fair Queen’s representation is important for the fair and Centre County’s agricultural efforts, Ronk explained that the skills she’s gained by being involved in the Fair Queen program have been invaluable.
“I’ve gained so many skills being a part of this program, such as being able to talk to people and being able to speak in public in front of a lot of people as well. This program has taught me to be a leader,” she said. “This program took me from being a shy person to being someone I would not have recognized a year ago. It’s like I was a tiny caterpillar that turned into a beautiful butterfly.”
During the process, Fair Queen contestants fill out an application with an essay about the meaning of the fair to the community. On coronation day, the young women in a sea of evening gowns participate in a luncheon before going through the formal interview process.
At the formal interview, the fair queen candidates are judged by a panel of out-of-county judges on their introduction, a speech on why people should come to the fair and an answer to an impromptu question.
“I prepared by getting my speech written as soon as possible and practicing over and over again until I started memorizing it. I would say segments of it while I drove, and my mom would help me fill in the blanks. I spent two hours a day for two months practicing the questions in the handbook and my mom making up questions,” Ronk explained.
“Without my mom there to push me and help me memorize, I honestly don’t know how I would have remembered everything.”
That hard work resulted in a year of experiences in which Ronk noted she will treasure for years to come.
“Some of my favorite moments as fair queen would be getting to ride on the six-horse hitch, which was truly a thrill,” she recalled. “Another memorable moment would have been when I was doing the chicken dance with JA, the librarian, and my shoe broke in the middle, so I just did it barefoot.”
Many of these memories, skills and lasting connections are all the more reason why Ronk recommends the Fair Queen program to young women in Centre County.
“It truly opens up endless opportunities for you and teaches you skills that help you in the future, such as interview skills, public speaking and being able to hold conversations with people,” she remarked. “Not only that, it is truly a special experience that is just so hard to explain.”
As for the 2025 Grange Fair Queen contestants, Ronk stressed to enjoy every single moment, because once the Fair Queen is crowned, she will be plenty busy.
“Try and get to do as many events as you can because time flies so quickly and before you know it, you’re crowning the next queen,” she said.
“Just have fun because this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that not everyone gets to have, so have fun and be the proud superstar I know you all can be, whether you win or you don’t, you make your fair week and your year what it is. So, keep your head up and don’t forget to smile because you have accomplished something so amazing just by getting up there.”
As her year representing the Centre County Grange Fair as Fair Queen comes to an end, Ronk is looking forward to the time she’ll get with her family and friends, and getting to experience the deep traditions of the fair, without the glitz and the glam in addition to getting her favorite foods and even getting to watch her cousin compete.
The 21st Centre County Grange Fair Queen will be crowned during the coronation 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Southside Stage.
