Meet the new Iowa State Fair queen, Miss Clarke County Elli Blackford, from Weldon
Less than one hour after being crowned 2024 Iowa State Fair Queen, Elli Blackford's mind was still racing at "10,000 miles per hour."
"I just have so much gratitude for my family, for my closest friends, for the Clarke County Fair Board. Just everybody has been so so supportive," Blackford said through teary eyes and a radiant smile.
A crowd of about 1,000 erupted into cheers when Blackford, from Weldon, was crowned the State Fair queen on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage Saturday night. Clutching a single rose tightly to her chest, Blackford waved at the standing audience and wiped tears from her face before being surrounded and squeezed into a group hug by the other contestants.
Blackford, 18, said winning the title has been an "absolute dream" since she was a little girl, when her family would come to the fair and camp on the grounds. Blackford remembers sitting on the front steps of the Administration Building just so she could catch a glimpse of the fair queen.
When she decided to pursue the crown this past spring, she said she was embraced with support from her family, friends and community. But she was in disbelief when she heard her name called among the 104 young women competing for the title.
"At first, I was like, 'Did he really say that?'" she said. "It's just so fulfilling to have it come true and kind of just look forward to how many girls I have the chance to impact in my year as the Iowa State Fair queen. It's just truly surreal."
Blackford was joined by her mother, De, and her father, Ty, on the stage. Many of her family members and friends, were sporting red to match her dress.
De Blackford said her daughter had everything set up coming into the competition. All she had to do was "come be Elli."
Her father, Ty Blackford, said: "It's just something you just don't expect, and I'm so incredibly proud of my daughter."
When asked how he was feeling about his cousin's win, Jaxson May, 5, said, "Good," adding he likes hanging out with Elli Blackford.
Blackford is going home with a crown and a sash, a trophy, a crown necklace, $9,000 in scholarships, a $600 Visa gift card, a flower bouquet and an Iowa State Fair brick. But above all, Blackford said she's most thankful for how much she changed over the past week.
"And being surrounded by the best girls in our state and just my chance to pay it forward in the next year," she said.
How the Iowa State Fair queen is chosen
State Fair queen coordinator Amanda Cook says to be selected as Iowa State Fair queen is to be an ambassador and "the face of the fair" for the following year.
The selection process for the State Fair queen can be rigorous. After being crowned at their own respective county fairs, the girls and young women, ages 16 to 21, must submit their resumes and state why they want to be queen to qualify. Many contestants have extensive resumes that include participation in Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. Some are involved in music and the arts, others in sports.
The contestants had been at the fair since Tuesday, going through an orientation, multiple interviews, and workshops on topics like mental health and table etiquette. The young women also volunteered throughout the week on the Fairgrounds at spots such as Little Hands on the Farm.
Blackford says her competitors ― all 103 of them ― are more like sisters now.
"I think I got a hug from every single one of them as they were leaving the stage," she said. "So it's just, there's so much love shared and there's so much excitement for everyone involved."
Who is Elli Blackford, the 2024 Iowa State Fair queen?
A 2024 graduate of Clarke Community High School, Blackford participated in the National Honor Society, Student Council, color guard, theater productions, Osceola Big Chief FFA, volleyball team for four years, softball for three years, track for two years and played clarinet in concert and pep bands.
In the community, Blackford is a member of the Osceola Go-Getters 4-H Club, Iowa Junior Simmental Association, Iowa Junior Beef Breeders’ Association, Junior Iowa Meat Goat Association and the American Junior Simmental Association. She's also active at LifePoint Church.
She said those experiences helped her "blossom" into who she is today.
To be the first queen from Clarke County is even more of an honor, she added. For a county that is "so agricultural-based and rural," Blackford said she's excited to show "little girls that small counties can do it, and we have just as much of a chance as anyone else."
Blackford, who plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall to pursue a double major in animal science and agricultural business, has a packed schedule for the rest of the fair ― and the rest of the year
At the fair, from morning until night, she'll attend events like grape stomping, the beard-measuring contest and 4-H shows. Through this year and next, she's charged with visiting as many county fairs in Iowa as possible.
In the coming year, Blackford says she's looking forward to "touching as many lives" as she can.
"It's so important to share a smile with everyone you come through and be just so grateful and remember that everything you're given is truly remarkable," she said.
Additional State Fair queen awards:
First runner-up: Lauren Long, Appanoose County.
Second runner-up: Nora Pickhinke, Sac County.
Third runner-up: Jada Litterer, Floyd County.
Personality plus winner: Libby Trewin, Franklin County.
Outstanding leadership: Olivia Hanson, Benton County.
Iowa State Fair Queen Alumni Award in honor of Julie Wolterman: Marley Larson, Marion County.
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Meet the new Iowa State Fair queen, Elli Blackford from Weldon
