My how time flies or….. should we say time changes many things. Turn back the pages of time and let’s take a look at how pageants have changed and evolved through the years. From gowns with hoop skirts, gloves, shoulder pads, bouffant and beehive hair styles, and even card board arm bands used as the contestant number.
Today marks a new era where contestants comply to a set of rules, or in some cases, sign a contract, mock interview skills to polish, expanded dress code attire including interview suit, evening gown and physical fitness/swimwear, and the addition of public speaking skills to help find the most well-rounded representative.
The original location of the stage was west of the present open pavilion in which a fence encompassed the arena for horse shows. A tent was provided for the contestants to use for wardrobe changes. The open pavilion was constructed in 1964, complete with a stage, dressing rooms and even rest rooms. We are blessed by the foresight of our fair board members to have such a great facility! The timeless pavilion continues to host the annual Sangamon County Fair Queen Pageant in June. The newly crowned Queen represents Sangamon County and vies for the title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen held in January.
Viola Suits Palumbo founded the Illinois County Fair Queen pageant in 1954. The state pageant was initially held at the Armory Building in downtown Springfield, but outgrew that location and moved to the Holiday Inn located on Dirksen Parkway in Springfield. Later, when the Holiday Inn was demolished, the much larger Crowne Plaza was built in 1997 to take its place. The Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant and Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs convention continues to be hosted at the Crowne Plaza where today it is said to be the largest convention held in Springfield.
Today marks a new era where contestants comply to a set of rules, or in some cases, sign a contract, mock interview skills to polish, expanded dress code attire including interview suit, evening gown and physical fitness/swimwear, and the addition of public speaking skills to help find the most well-rounded representative.
The original location of the stage was west of the present open pavilion in which a fence encompassed the arena for horse shows. A tent was provided for the contestants to use for wardrobe changes. The open pavilion was constructed in 1964, complete with a stage, dressing rooms and even rest rooms. We are blessed by the foresight of our fair board members to have such a great facility! The timeless pavilion continues to host the annual Sangamon County Fair Queen Pageant in June. The newly crowned Queen represents Sangamon County and vies for the title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen held in January.
Viola Suits Palumbo founded the Illinois County Fair Queen pageant in 1954. The state pageant was initially held at the Armory Building in downtown Springfield, but outgrew that location and moved to the Holiday Inn located on Dirksen Parkway in Springfield. Later, when the Holiday Inn was demolished, the much larger Crowne Plaza was built in 1997 to take its place. The Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant and Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs convention continues to be hosted at the Crowne Plaza where today it is said to be the largest convention held in Springfield.
Past Queens
2025 Paige Burton |
2024 Claire Oliver |
2024 Claire Oliver
2023 Brook Stuebs
2022 Meadow Sporrer
2021 Sydney Geyston
2019 Toby Giganti
2018 Chloe Leonard
2017 Alyssa McGarvey
2016 Kerby Ingram
2015 Megan Urbas
2014 Anna Washko
2013 Anna Workman
2012 Natalie Foss (Finalist)
2011 Cara Workman-Meteer (Finalist)
2010 Katy Duewer (Finalist)
2009 Kara Burger-Paluska
2008 Morgan Metz (State Queen)
2007 Debbie Dobbins-Kramer
2006 Allison Hinman-Buzick (Finalist)
2005 Brooke Sunderlin (Finalist)
2004 Rachael Atchison-Buraski (Interview)
2003 Katie Neuman-Smith (Speech)
2002 Rachel Sunderlin-Egan (Finalist)
2001 Stephanie Custer
2000 Malia Bishof (Finalist)
1999 Annie Finley-Weller (2nd Runner-Up)
1998 Tabitha Hinman-Stone (1st Runner-Up)
1997 Jessica Sager-Burke (Finalist)
1996 Nicole Luna
1995 Jennifer Howard (Interview)
1994 Erin Duesterhaus (State Queen)
1993 Darre’ Williams-Porter (Finalist)
1992 Elissa Howard (Speech)
1991 Hyla Brown-Kipp (Finalist)
1990 Debbie Tureskis
1989 Dana McNeely-Greene
1988 Kerry Marr-Ingram
1987 Debbie Twyford-Copp (Interview)
1986 Heather Selinger-Schaffer (Swimsuit)
1985 Leslie Cully-Seene
1984 Kathy Forgas-Elderhorst (State Queen)
1983 Cheryl Swann-Bradley
1982 Cheryl Hill-Washko (State Queen)
1981 Vicki Johnson-Sommer (State Queen)
1980 Kim Hill-Brown (Finalist)
1979 Sally Lane-Glenn (Finalist)
1978 Regina Hutton-Santarelli (Finalist)
1977 Andrea Hankins-Ruedi
1976 Jody Fawns-Freedlund
1975 Pamela Beams-Fuller
1974 Debora Marr-Van Tuyle (Finalist)
1973 Mary Gumble-Levy
1972 Carolyn Twyford-Ford
1971 Janet Londrigan-Krigbaum
1970 Isabelle Robinette-Giokaris
1969 Jacki Roberts-Ferri (2nd Runner-Up)
1968 Sherry Chastian-Graf
1967 Gay Damery-Scherer (State Queen)
1966 Barbara Shoenthal-Delk (Finalist)
1965 Susan Hoppin-Berry
1964 Madeline Baskett
1963 Ruthann Bomke-Stevens
1962 Sylvia Boosinger-Gary (2nd Runner-Up)
1961 Carol Lott-Sullivan
1960 Margaret Rossiter-Hoffman
1959 Yvonne Smith-Beveridge
2023 Brook Stuebs
2022 Meadow Sporrer
2021 Sydney Geyston
2019 Toby Giganti
2018 Chloe Leonard
2017 Alyssa McGarvey
2016 Kerby Ingram
2015 Megan Urbas
2014 Anna Washko
2013 Anna Workman
2012 Natalie Foss (Finalist)
2011 Cara Workman-Meteer (Finalist)
2010 Katy Duewer (Finalist)
2009 Kara Burger-Paluska
2008 Morgan Metz (State Queen)
2007 Debbie Dobbins-Kramer
2006 Allison Hinman-Buzick (Finalist)
2005 Brooke Sunderlin (Finalist)
2004 Rachael Atchison-Buraski (Interview)
2003 Katie Neuman-Smith (Speech)
2002 Rachel Sunderlin-Egan (Finalist)
2001 Stephanie Custer
2000 Malia Bishof (Finalist)
1999 Annie Finley-Weller (2nd Runner-Up)
1998 Tabitha Hinman-Stone (1st Runner-Up)
1997 Jessica Sager-Burke (Finalist)
1996 Nicole Luna
1995 Jennifer Howard (Interview)
1994 Erin Duesterhaus (State Queen)
1993 Darre’ Williams-Porter (Finalist)
1992 Elissa Howard (Speech)
1991 Hyla Brown-Kipp (Finalist)
1990 Debbie Tureskis
1989 Dana McNeely-Greene
1988 Kerry Marr-Ingram
1987 Debbie Twyford-Copp (Interview)
1986 Heather Selinger-Schaffer (Swimsuit)
1985 Leslie Cully-Seene
1984 Kathy Forgas-Elderhorst (State Queen)
1983 Cheryl Swann-Bradley
1982 Cheryl Hill-Washko (State Queen)
1981 Vicki Johnson-Sommer (State Queen)
1980 Kim Hill-Brown (Finalist)
1979 Sally Lane-Glenn (Finalist)
1978 Regina Hutton-Santarelli (Finalist)
1977 Andrea Hankins-Ruedi
1976 Jody Fawns-Freedlund
1975 Pamela Beams-Fuller
1974 Debora Marr-Van Tuyle (Finalist)
1973 Mary Gumble-Levy
1972 Carolyn Twyford-Ford
1971 Janet Londrigan-Krigbaum
1970 Isabelle Robinette-Giokaris
1969 Jacki Roberts-Ferri (2nd Runner-Up)
1968 Sherry Chastian-Graf
1967 Gay Damery-Scherer (State Queen)
1966 Barbara Shoenthal-Delk (Finalist)
1965 Susan Hoppin-Berry
1964 Madeline Baskett
1963 Ruthann Bomke-Stevens
1962 Sylvia Boosinger-Gary (2nd Runner-Up)
1961 Carol Lott-Sullivan
1960 Margaret Rossiter-Hoffman
1959 Yvonne Smith-Beveridge
