Miss Ford County Fair 2024

Since my time as a Cloverbud in the Walltown 4-H club, the Ford County Fair has held a special place in my heart. Every summer I looked forward to the few days I would spend at the fair showing my 4-H projects and riding all the rides. Once I became Queen, the Ford County Fair quickly changed from a place where I came only to show my art projects and ride rides, to an amazing and impressive community. In this past year, I have learned how special of a place the fair truly is. Every person involved is so incredibly hardworking and kind. They work tirelessly all year long to create a place of community, education, and of course, fun. From Cloverbud to Queen, the Ford County Fair has given me the opportunity to grow as an individual and meet so many wonderful people.

Immediately after being crowned last summer, I was showered with so much love and support. That support continued throughout my week at the fair. I was able to meet so many new people while attending the 4-H and open livestock shows, the grandstand events, and every event in between. I was grateful to experience firsthand the hard work of everyone who participates in fair week.

My amazing experiences continued throughout the summer when I visited surrounding fair queen pageants, participated in several 4th of July activities throughout Ford County, and waved and threw candy to smiling Ford County residents in many parades. The best experience during my reign was the Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant in January. Through this opportunity, I built many new relationships and gained valuable skills. The State Pageant experience would not have been the same without the help of my family and friends, but especially Maci Kingren, Alaina Kief, and Kirsten Wyatt for being my support system throughout the whole weekend.

Although I am sad my time as Miss Ford County Fair Queen is coming to an end, I find joy in knowing that there will soon be an incredible young woman taking my place and doing an exceptional job. To whomever that lucky girl may be, I hope you have the greatest year of your life. Enjoy every moment!

I cannot believe how quickly my year as Miss Ford County has come to a close, and with that I want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person who has supported me and put their trust in me throughout my reign. My family, friends, fair board, and pageant crew are the reason I have been able to accomplish all that I have. Ford County, thank you for putting your trust in me to be the representative of our county this past year. The support and love I have received has been nothing short of amazing and I will never forget it. Ford County and the fair will always hold a special place in my heart and I am so thankful I had this opportunity.

With So Much Love, Your 2024 Miss Ford County Fair Queen Kate Wilson