(Publisher’s note: Makenna Kern was homeschooled. This correction has been made to the story.)
All three of this year’s Chelsea Community Fair queen candidates have something in common — they’ve all attended the fair for many years.
And when the trio got together for the first time this week for the annual contestant tea at the home of the 2017 Queen Savanna Burchett, they were all smiles looking forward to this new adventure.
Makenna Kern, 17, of Chelsea, probably has some insight into what the upcoming week’s events might be like, as she’s the sister of 2013 Fair Queen Morgan Kern.
She has been showing at fair since she was 6 years old and plans to exhibit both a steer and hogs this year. Kern was homeschooled and lives in Chelsea.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to run for fair queen,” she says when asked why she decided to participate in the competition. In addition, she also plans to enter the junior homemaker competition as well.
The daughter of Jill and Kevin Kern, she’ll be singing and playing guitar as her talent on Friday, Aug. 24 when the competition takes place. Makenna Kern then plans to join the Navy this spring.
Amanda LaRoe, 15, of Dexter, says she’s been going to fair for a very long time and entering the fair queen competition seemed like fun. Plus she says, former Queen Alissa Trinkle encouraged her to give it a try.
She’ll be entering still projects such as photography in the green barn and plans to educate the judges and the audience about the different styles of horseback riding and Haflinger horses for her talent.
The daughter of Ed and Lisa LaRoe, she will graduate from Dexter High School in the class of 2021.
Madison Brodeur, 16, of Chelsea, says she’s looking forward to the experience of all the different facets of being a fair queen contestant — from splashing into the dunk tank to exhibiting items in the green barn.
She plans to enter still projects, photos, drawings and food this Sunday when participants enter their green barn items.
The member of the Chelsea House Orchestra plans to play violin as her talent.
The daughter of Rosie and Joseph Brodeur is a junior at Chelsea High School.
The Chelsea Community Fair runs from Tuesday, Aug. 21-Saturday, Aug. 25. The fair queen competition takes place on Friday, Aug. 24 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Arena.
