Pageant Contestants All Have Fair Chance
Even the fairest of the fair have to eat.
Central Grange at 7001 E. Bigelow Gulch Road was this year’s site of the pageant that determines just who will be the Interstate Fair royalty. And, you guessed it, the contest was called “The Fairest of the Fair.”
But you don’t just jump into a pageant cold. Before the Sunday show, the contestants spent Saturday learning all about poise. They had quite a lunch spread, too.
The potential royalty filed into the Grange hall basement a little before noon. Their morning had been filled with modelling agency folks teaching them to shake hands (you kind of have to dive your paw down a little, then go for the clasp) and walk up stairs with dignity.
Now, with a few minutes to go before lunch lift-off, the six contestants had a little time to think. That meant a little time to be nervous.
“They won’t admit it,” said outgoing fair queen Lisa Evans as she eyed the crew.
The Valley native was the veteran here - it was her job to keep the group of teens and early twentysomethings calm.
“I asked them if they were nervous, and they said ‘No, I’m not.”’ she said. “But they looked it.”
They stood talking to one another, contest officials and family members. Each held her hands clasped in front of her.
Some couldn’t resist wringing them a little.
Sabrina Leigh Randolph, 17, ‘fessed up. “I’m the first person to be interviewed, so I am kind of nervous.”
They would all be interviewed by a panel of judges after lunch. Fortunately, Randolph knew what to expect. She was the Southeast County Fair princess last year.
What is the most important thing to know about being in a pageant? Randolph and the outgoing queen looked at one another and spontaneously started walking in place like British palace guards.
“March!” they said in chorus. They were just joking, of course.
Organizers say the duties of the fair royalty are no joke, though. The three winners will appear in area parades and hand out just about all the award ribbons at the Spokane Interstate Fair.
“Everything from flowers to jam to the best bull, you name it,” Steve Corker, a contest chaperone, said before jumping into the food line.
He just had to wait, though. A group of ladies, most with gray hair, set out plates piled high with Jell-O, ham, cheese slices, bread and bundt cake. The contestants got first crack at the food. Then, family and Grange members. Two ladies stood at the end of the line, asking, “Regular or decaf?”
“You must be Lisa’s mom!” someone called to Carol Evans.
“How could you tell? The blond hair and blue eyes?” joked the dark-haired, brown-eyed mom.
“It’s ‘cause you’re cute,” the younger Evans chimed. Good answer.
Bonnie Reed, the woman running the whole show, was in line herself. Was this homemade bread? “Well, it’s Snyder’s, so I guess it’s from around here,” she answered.
Someone else in line, a model, was discouraged there was no salad.
Eventually, everyone found their seats and said a group prayer. The contestants got to know each other. Apparently, some had already met.
“…She’s living in the dorms over at Oregon State,” somebody started. Then came the subject of public speaking came up.
“I took a speech class last September, called impromptu speech,” the outgoing queen said. She highly endorsed it.
Tom Reed watched the whole thing with a grin. All this food, and pretty pageant contestants to boot. The white-haired Grange member pulled the paper top off of his plastic sherbet container and smiled.
Models might want to watch their figure, but not him.
“When you’re at this Grange, you gotta eat,” he said, then headed off for more pie.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MEMO: Valley Snapshots is a regular Valley Voice feature that visits gatherings in the Valley. If you know of a good subject for this column, please call reporter Ward Sanderson at 927-2154.