By Victoria Leitch
vleitch@prairiepress.net
Miss Edgar Co. Fair Briana Reese
For Briana Reese, hearing her name announced as the 2026 Edgar County Fair Queen was a moment she had dreamed about for years. When it finally happened on Sunday, July 19, her first reaction was disbelief.
“Did they really call me?” Reese recalled. “Did they say contestant number six? I think more so than anything, I was just in shock.”
Moments later, the reality of the accomplishment began to settle in.
“I kept touching the crown the whole time,” she said. “Like, is it really on my head? But after it kind of settled in and the adrenaline wore off, I was like, wow, we really did it. And I’m really proud of myself.”
The newly crowned queen said one of the first people she wanted to celebrate with was her mother, who has supported her throughout her pageant journey.
“She’s been so supportive,” Reese said. “Her smile is infectious. She’s just so proud.”
Reese’s path to the crown began in 2022 when she watched Caroline Smith compete in the fair queen pageant. Seeing the event in person sparked a goal that would stay with her throughout high school.
“I saw it and thought, ‘You know what? That looks like so much fun. I want to wear a pretty gown,’” she said with a laugh.
“I knew when I graduated, it was something I wanted to do.”
Through three years of competing, Reese found friendships, confidence and personal growth.
“The first year was amazing. I had such a blast,” she said. “I got to know the other contestants so well, and I still talk to them today.”
This year, Reese approached the competition differently than she had in the past.
“The past two years, I came in like a bull in a china shop,” she said. “I had my speech memorized before the tea. I knew exactly what I was going to wear. I was thinking about it constantly.”
Rather than stressing over every detail for her final year, she focused on enjoying the experience.
“I was like, ‘You know what? It’s your last year. Let’s just go out there, have fun and no pressure,’” Reese said. “Obviously, that paid off. It was so much more rewarding when I wasn’t so stressed out and was just living in the moment.”
While the pageant may appear to be a competition against fellow contestants, Reese said her biggest challenge was overcoming self-doubt.
“I was really competing against myself more than I was competing against the other girls,” she said. “Everybody was so supportive of each other. The hardest part was getting out of my own head and telling myself I could do it.”
She said some of her proudest moments came during the interview and swimsuit portions of the competition.
“Walking out of the interview, I was like, ‘Oh wow, I did good,’” Reese said. “It was a huge improvement from the past two years, and I was really proud of myself.”
As she begins her year representing the fair and Edgar County, Reese hopes to use the title to give back to the community she loves.
“I want to pay back as much as I can for what they’ve given me and the doors they’ve opened for me,” she said. “I want to make them proud and represent them well.”
Among her goals are community service projects, while serving with integrity and respect.
“To do this with integrity, to represent the fair with respect and integrity, and to make the fair board proud,” she said. “More than anything, I want to have fun and give back to the community that gave so much to me.”
Growing up, the Edgar County Fair was a place where Reese made memories with friends and family. As she got older, she enjoyed attending grandstand events and spending time with her grandfather during the truck and tractor pull.
“I got to hear all the stories,” she said. “‘Oh, that was a good pull. That was a full pull.’ Those are some of my favorite memories.”
Today, truck and tractor pulls and the rodeo remain among her favorite fair attractions.
Though she is still adjusting to her new title, Reese said the honor is one she does not take lightly.
“It means a lot,” she said. “It’s very humbling. I think I’m still absorbing it a little bit that I am the Edgar County Fair Queen.”
Reese is eager to meet people throughout the county and make the most of every opportunity that comes with the crown.
“Never be shy—come say hi,” she said. “I’d love to meet you.”
And for those looking for a fun fact about the new queen? Reese has one ready.
“I’m double-jointed in both of my elbows, and I can pop my shoulder in and out of socket,” she said with a laugh. “People find it a little gross, but it’s kind of my party trick.”
For now, however, Reese is focused on enjoying her moment and embracing the year ahead.
“I’m super excited,” she said. “We’re excited to get out and meet everybody, welcome people to the fair and see what this year brings.”
Little Miss Edgar Co. Fair Ariella Groover
The sparkles on her dress may have caught her eye first, but it was the fun of the experience that made Sunday night’s Edgar County Fair pageant unforgettable for Ariella Groover.
Crowned Little Miss Edgar County Fair during the pageant on Sunday, July 19, Ariella is already looking forward to representing the fair alongside newly crowned Queen Briana Reese.
When asked what she enjoyed most about the pageant, Ariella had a simple answer: “Having fun.”
She especially loved wearing her sparkling pageant dress.
“The sparkles,” she said with a smile when asked what her favorite part of the dress was.
Like many children, Ariella has plenty to look forward to during fair week. Her favorite animals to visit are the bunnies, and when asked if she planned to chase one, she enthusiastically replied, “All of them.”
Outside of the fairgrounds, Ariella enjoys reading at school, with The Mad Cat among her favorite books. When she’s not reading, she can usually be found playing with friends.
“I like to play hide and seek,” she said, adding that she usually prefers to be the one hiding, although sometimes she does take a turn seeking.
If she could bring anyone to the fair, Ariella said she would choose her brother because he enjoys watching the events and playing at the fair.
As she begins her reign as Little Miss Edgar County Fair, Ariella is excited for the adventures that lie ahead, from attending community events to making memories throughout the year. With her bright smile, love of fun and excitement for the fair, she’s ready to represent Edgar County’s youngest fairgoers with enthusiasm.