2023 HARVEST QUEEN PAGEANT

Photo Credit – Jenn Lyn Photography

Congratulations to our 2023 Harvest Queen Court

2023 Senior Harvest Queen: Cameron Ipock 

2023 Senior Harvest Queen 1st Maid: Jillian Towe

2023 Junior Harvest Queen: Claire Thomas

2023 Junior Harvest Queen 1st Maid: Lylah Linares

Congratulations to our 2022 Harvest Queen Court

2022 Junior Harvest Queen: Alleigh Goff

2022 Junior Harvest 1st Maid: Hope Storter

2022 Senior Harvest Queen: Savannah Rice

2022 Senior Harvest 1st Maid: Kate Lois Merrill

Congratulations to our 2021 Harvest Queen Court

2021 Senior Harvest Queen – Morgan Nolan

2021 Junior Harvest Queen – Makinley Jensen

2021 Senior Harvest 1st Maid – Hannah Perry

2021 Junior Harvest 1st Maid – Peyton Eatman

Thank you to our pageant director, Kelli Messick and the Harvest Queen Pageant Committee!

2023 Fair Theme: “Rooted in Tradition”

The Harvest Queens serve as ambassadors to the Hillsborough County Fair.

They are called upon to attend special events and to participate in community events including greeting and escorting guests, speaking at civic club meetings, appearing in parades, and representing the Fair in public appearances.

SCHOLARSHIPS:

Senior Queen Scholarship $1500 presented by Hillsborough County Fair

Junior Queen Scholarship $750 presented by Hillsborough County Fair

The Harvest Queens are often called upon to participate in livestock awards, presentations, County Fair Board of Directors Meetings and special events held on the fairgrounds and during the fair. Tuesday, September 5, 2023 @ 5:30 PM at the fairgrounds, there will be a MANDATORY Headshot Meeting. Thursday evening, September 21, 2023, there will be a MANDATORY meeting and rehearsal for all candidates for Harvest Queen and Junior Harvest Queen. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00 pm and be held at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds in the exhibit hall. Any absence will result in disqualification from the pageant. Please read the following to assist in understanding the pageant:

The MANDATORY HEADSHOT MEETING WILL BE HELD TUESDAY, September 5, 2023, at 5:30 PM

At the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall

MANDATORY PAGEANT MEETING WILL BE HELD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023, at 6:00 PM

At the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall

HAIR AND MAKE-UP SOCIAL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023, at 6:00 PM

At the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall

The Pageant will be held on Saturday, October 7, 2023, starting with Junior Contestants ONLY @1:00P.M.

Senior Division will be interviewed starting at 3 P.M. Senior Pageant starts at 5:00 P.M.

At the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall

APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 30, 2023

QUEEN DIVISION: AGES 16-19 (at time of pageant)

JUNIOR QUEEN: AGES 13-15 (at time of pageant)

  • You will be allowed to get dressed in the holding room but be aware that space is limited.
  • All candidates must be residents of Hillsborough County or a student enrolled in a public, private school or homeschool in Hillsborough County or a student enrolled in a junior college or university in Hillsborough County.
  • Candidates for Junior Harvest Queen will not have an interview process. You will arrive at the Fairgrounds, October7th dressed in your casual wear outfit. After your introduction, you will be asked a question on stage. This question will be given to you at the mandatory meeting on SEPTEMBER 21st. You will have a maximum time of two minutes to give an on-stage response. Junior Harvest Queen Contestants will grace the stage wearing an evening gown as their biography is read by the emcee.
  • Candidates for HARVEST QUEEN will have a seven-minute interview with the professional judges. The interview will take place at the fairgrounds on October 7th., the day of the pageant, beginning at 3 PM. There will be a drawing at the mandatory meeting determining your number in line for the interview. Contestants will wear Interview Outfit during the Interview with the professional judges. Contestants for HARVEST QUEEN will wear a casual wear outfit, of their choice, and answer one of the 10 pre-determined questions given to them at the mandatory meeting. You will have a maximum time of two minutes to answer the on-stage question. Contestants for HARVEST QUEEN will wear an evening gown for the pageant while your biography is read by the emcee. The question will be one of ten questions that will be in the fishbowl during the pageant. All questions will be announced at the mandatory meeting.
  • Both the Senior Harvest Queen and Junior Harvest Queen may not participate in any other pageant or activity where she is judged on appearance, poise or where the title of “Queen,” “Miss ___,” or other such title is given for the year of her reign as Senior Harvest Queen. This does not include activities such as school calendar girls, FFA Sweetheart, or activities limited to the school which she attends or a club or other organization of which she has been a member preceding being named Hillsborough County Harvest Queen. Failure to abide by this rule will result in the immediate forfeiture of all prizes and scholarships and the title. All decisions of the Pageant Committee regarding this rule will be final.
  • Both the Senior Harvest Queen and the Junior Harvest Queen understand and agree that, during the subsequent Hillsborough County Fair they are to be available at all times during Fair hours, on site at the fairgrounds, and are to be available as scheduled for interviews, television, or radio appearances or such other promotional events as may be scheduled by the Fair office or Pageant committee. The Senior and Junior Harvest Queens are to be available at the following year’s pageant to crown the new Harvest Queens.
  • MOST PHOTOGENIC will be awarded to one contestant in the Junior Division as well as one contestant in Senior Division. The photos for this contest will be taken by a Fair approved photographer at the scheduled time and will not be returned. The photo session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 5:30 PM. We will meet at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds.
  • Headshots will be taken by a professional photographer. Headshot photos are mandatory as the photos are part of the program, newspaper, and the judges review. HEADSHOTS WILL BE TAKEN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 @ 5:30 AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.
  • The scholarship awarded to the Senior Harvest Queen, may be used the FOLLOWING ACADEMIC YEAR and will expire 4 years after her graduation from high school. Winners will receive the scholarship at the time of enrollment.
  • One armband will be given to the contestant for one parent entry on pageant day. The armband will be given at check in.
  • Admission for this pageant is $8.00.
  • There will be someone to assist the contestants and chaperone at the drop off point on pageant day.
  • Junior Harvest Queen Contestants must be backstage by 12:00 P.M. for the Junior Contest to begin at 1:00P.M. Contestants will be disqualified if you are not backstage by 1:30 PM. ready for the event.
  • Senior Harvest Queen Contestants will arrive at the Fairgrounds at the appointed interview time dressed in Interview Attire. After interview portion, you will change into your casual wear outfit to be pageant ready starting at 5PM. You must arrive at the Fairgrounds by 4PM. Contestants will be disqualified if you are not backstage by 4:30 PM ready for the event.
  • No member of the Hillsborough County Harvest Queen Pageant Committee with a daughter or granddaughter in the contest can be involved in any part of the planning of the contest.
  • Contestants are encouraged to bring their pageant shoes to the mandatory meeting on September 21, 2023.
  • No food or colored drinks are permitted backstage.
  • No visible tattoos
  • No large piercings, nose rings, eyebrow rings.
  • Turn in Social Media Clause and Bio. Sheet at the Headshot Meeting on SEPTEMBER 5th.
  • Contestants must be naturally born female, single, never married and never bore a child.
  • Refreshments and flowers are cash only and will be sold during the pageant.
  • Two outfits needed for Junior Harvest Queen Contestants, one evening gown and one casual wear.
  • Three outfits needed for Senior Harvest Queen Contestants, one interview outfit, one casual wear and one evening gown.
  • No slits above the knee or low plunging necklines. Two-piece dresses must not show more than two inches of midriff.
  • You will have a chance to walk on stage after the mandatory meeting, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023.
  • We are always looking for sponsors for this pageant. If you would like to help support the Harvest Queen Pageant in anyway, please contact Kelli Messick @ 813-967-4199 or the Fair office @ 813-737-3247 and leave a message and someone will get back in touch with you regarding sponsorship information.
  • If you should have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to call or text Kelli at (813) 967-4199.

Further instructions and/or details will be given at the
Mandatory meeting, Thursday, September 21, 2023