U.P. State Fair: Mallory named junior princess at fair

At noon on Monday, Aug. 17, 12 year old Lydia Mallory was crowned Jr. Princess at the Upper Peninsula State Fair. When asked why she wanted to join the Royalty Pageant Mallory stated, “I just heard that there weren’t a lot of people and you get to do pretty cool stuff.” This was not her first pageant. Mallory has competed in the pageants at the Alger County Fair in the past. 

According to Karen Paidl, a member of the State Fair’s Department Advisory Committee in charge of the Queens Contest, explained that contestants must do different things depending on whether they are a Queen, Princess, or Jr. Princess. Mallory had to complete an essay, find a sponsor and answer questions from the judges. Paidl said she also had to write an autobiography.

Mallory’s sponsor was the Munising Flower Shop. Paidl stated, “She had to write an essay and then she got judged by the judges through an interview.” Her essay was about what the state fair means to her. Mallory stated that the judges asked her questions about “fair knowledge about the U.P. State Fair and about myself and about my essay that I had to write.” 

“She [Lydia Mallory] had to make a sash of her sponsor. Her sponsor was on her sash,” Paidl said. “She had to design it herself and also, a poster was made for her sponsor.” Both the sash and the poster were judged as part of the pageant.

Part of the reason Mallory wanted to enter the pageant was because she was able to do some cool things. Paidl raved about Mallory’s involvement in the fair. Paidl said, “Lydia, as I’m watching her here at the fair, she is already representing the fair amazingly. She has been wanting to do all the things that have been offered to her.” Mallory went to a meet and greet at one of the fair’s concerts. She also handed out ribbons at several livestock shows. She gave ribbons to the winning contestants at the shows. “She is seen around the fair with her crown on and she is well representing, smiling and doing a great job.”