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A royal gathering: former Queens of the Fair celebrate the 2022 event

Augusta. At least 20 former Queen of the Fair winners will be making an appearance at the New Jersey State Fair this year.

| 25 Jul 2022 | 02:01
    Monica Abdul-Chani at the 2014 Queens Reunion with the oldest living queen at the time, Lois Dickerson, who passed away a few years ago. Dickerson was the second-ever Queen of the Fair, crowned in 1936. Photos provided.
    Monica Abdul-Chani at the 2014 Queens Reunion with the oldest living queen at the time, Lois Dickerson, who passed away a few years ago. Dickerson was the second-ever Queen of the Fair, crowned in 1936. Photos provided.
    Annelise Malgieri
    Annelise Malgieri
    Lorelei Grosskurth Castellani-then
    Lorelei Grosskurth Castellani-then
    Lorelei Grosskurth Castellani-now
    Lorelei Grosskurth Castellani-now
    Diane Danzer Gill - then
    Diane Danzer Gill - then
    Diane Danzer Gill - now
    Diane Danzer Gill - now
    Blake Harrsch
    Blake Harrsch
    Edna Bird Powell-then
    Edna Bird Powell-then
    Edna Bird Powell-now
    Edna Bird Powell-now
    Patricia Gray Redline-then
    Patricia Gray Redline-then
    Patricia Gray Redline-now
    Patricia Gray Redline-now ( Mitzi Campbell)
    Keely Schmerber
    Keely Schmerber
    Kelly Goodwin Fields
    Kelly Goodwin Fields

Sussex County royalty will be visiting the fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday. Twenty women, formally crowned Queen of the Fair over the years, are getting together to kick off the 2022 event – including multiple winners from the 1960s and 1970s.

On the opening day of the fair, they will gather together for a small reception before joining in on the parade at 7 p.m., which kicks off near the Fairgrounds Administration Building.

On Saturday, August 6, there’s another chance to meet generations of queens during the 2022 Queen of the Fair Pageant, which starts at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Tent. Each past queen in attendance will be introduced on stage.

Here are some of the past winners you can expect to see on Friday, August 5 or Saturday, August 6:

· Doris Field Gallup, 1961 Queen of the Fair representing Frankford

· Edna Bird Powell, 1963 Queen of the Fair representing Frankford

· Bonnie Rude Clemmer, 1968 Queen of the Fair representing Newton

· Patricia Gray Redline, 1973 Queen of the Fair representing Fredon

· Diane Danzer Gill, 1975 Queen of the Fair representing Branchville

· Lorelei Grosskurth Castellani, 1981 Queen of the Fair representing Frankford

· Debbie Competielle Kistle, 1985 Queen of the Fair representing Ogdensburg

· Ursula Henrich Leo, 1994 Queen of the Fair representing Green Township

· Melanie Dunbar, 1999 Queen of the Fair representing Andover

· Whitney Redline Sherman, 2003 Queen of the Fair representing Fredon

· Kelly Goodwin, 2005 Queen of the Fair representing Ogdensburg

· Molly Gill Scholl, 2008 Queen of the Fair representing Frankford

· Kelsey Kistle, 2009 Queen of the Fair representing Sandyston (and daughter to the 1985 Queen Debbie)

· Monica Abdul-Chani, 2013 Queen of the Fair representing Fredon

· Annelise Malgieri, 2014 Queen of the Fair representing Frankford

· Aimee Buchanan, 2015 Queen of the Fair representing Sparta

· Keely Schmerber, 2017 Queen of the Fair representing Green Township

· Blake Harrsch, 2018 Queen of the Fair representing Vernon

· Lucy Colvin, 2019 Queen of the Fair representing Montague