With every fair season in Lancaster County comes six more young women who have earned the title of fair queen, acting as a role model and pledging their love and service to their communities.
Every fair in Lancaster County, with the exception of the Ephrata Fair, offers a fair queen program to uplift young women.
After graduation, these fair queens intend to be business owners, teachers, radiologists and more.
Here’s an introduction to 2025’s cohort of Lancaster County fair queens.
Editor’s note: Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
FROM 2024:Â ‘I represent agriculture’: Meet Lancaster County’s 6 fair queens for 2024
FROM 2024:Â West Lampeter fair queen reflects on winning PA State Fair honorÂ
West Lampeter Fair Queen Brooke Rubincam
Brooke Rubincam is the West Lampeter Community Fair Queen for 2025.
Submitted
Age: 17.
Grade: 12th.
School: Lampeter-Strasburg High School.
Future plans: I plan on attending Millersville University in their Math Education program. Even though I might not be working in the agriculture industry in the future, it most certainly does not mean I’ll stop advocating for the field I’ve grown up with and grown to love.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
I have been an exhibitor at the West Lampeter Community Fair for over 10 years and was excited to run for fair queen because I had the opportunity to give back and serve the community that has supported me for all these years.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?Â
The fair queen tradition is a way to inspire the youth who visit the fair and encourage them to get more involved and advocate for our fairs and the agriculture industry.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I have had the great opportunity to raise and show market livestock at my fair and this hobby has turned into a passion for agriculture.
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Lancaster County?
The friendly people. Everyone is so welcoming and wants to help out wherever they can. The small-town feeling of Strasburg and Lampeter only add to the effect of our close-knit community.
Denver Fair Queen Annalee McCray
Annalee McCray is the Denver Fair Queen for 2025.
Submitted
Age: 17.
Grade: 12th.
School: Cocalico High School, and dual enrollment at HACC.
Future plans: I want to be a radiologist technician. I want to do X-rays.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
I was interested in this contest because I wanted to get better at public speaking and to give my true self a chance to (shine). I’m not what other candidates might look like, which surprises people, but I wanted to become more confident to show it doesn’t fully matter what you look like.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?Â
Maintaining the queen tradition is important to me because it gives other generations a chance to show their true selves and become more confident in themselves. Many girls my age (along with me) are self conscious, and this gives them an opportunity to break out of their shells.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I’m a girl drummer!
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Lancaster County?
The small and local businesses. It really makes it feel like a whole community instead of individuals. I also like cows, like a lot!
Elizabethtown Fair Queen Felicity Astfalk
Felicity Astfalk is the Elizabethtown Fair Queen for 2025.
Submitted
Age: 17.
Grade: 12th.
School: Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg.
Future plans: Once I graduate from high school, I plan to attend a Catholic college studying classical liberal arts. After college, I am open to whatever God plans for me, and I want to stay involved in local agriculture and craft. I would love to be a wife and mother or enter religious life.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
I have some friends through 4-H who had previously been the E-Town fair queen, and they encouraged me to apply. I was interested in the scholarship but also the unique opportunities for developing some of my public speaking, interview, and social skills. I also thought I would love the fair week activities, meeting lots of good people and handing out ribbons for fun contests.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?Â
Maintaining the fair queen tradition is important to encourage young women to get involved and take pride in their local communities and agriculture. It is also important for fairs and local agriculture to have a young, relatable representative and advocate.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I know quite a bit about distilling and homebrewing since my dad brews at home and my family has vacationed along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Lancaster County?
While I actually live in Hershey, my favorite thing about Lancaster County is the beautiful countryside landscapes. I love seeing the picturesque fields, livestock, barns, and farmhouses that our local agriculture in Lancaster has to offer.
Manheim Community Farm Show Queen Hailey Leed
Hailey Leed, center, is the Manheim Community Farm Show Queen for 2025.
AMP Photography
Age: 18.
Grade: Graduate from Manheim Central High School.
Future plans: I’m not sure what my future holds but currently I’m working at a local pig farm.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
The connections you’re able to make with your community.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?
It supports agriculture education, community connections and empowers young women.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I went on a trip out of country to learn about farming.
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Lancaster County?
The mix of urban and rural life.
Solanco Fair Queen Emalyne Rineer
Emalyne Rineer is the Solanco Fair Queen for 2025.
Submitted
Age: 16.
Grade: 11th.
School: Solanco High School.
Future plans: My plan is to attend cosmetology school to become a hairdresser, and then eventually own my own hair salon.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
My older sister and other people who have been role models in my life had participated, and by seeing the activities they participated in and the impact they (had) I decided that fair queen was something I wanted to try out for.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?Â
It’s a contest that’s been in our fair for years, and it gives young women the opportunity to represent their fair and community. They are also able to serve others and lead as a role model to the younger generation.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I come from a big family! I have seven siblings so home is always full of energy and fun.
What’s your favorite aspect of living in Lancaster County?
The agriculture Lancaster has. I love being able to appreciate and acknowledge all of our farmers, and all they do to make Lancaster what it is.
New Holland Fair Queen Allie Doutrich
Allie Doutrich is the New Holland Fair Queen for 2025.
Submitted
Age: 18.
Grade: 12th.
School: Lancaster Mennonite School.
Future plans: I plan on attending college and playing tennis collegiately. I want to study business and eventually start my own agriculture business.
What interested you about trying out/applying to be a fair queen?
I wanted to be the fair queen to represent the New Holland community. I wanted to bring my knowledge and passion for agriculture to the New Holland community. I saw the New Holland Fair Queen role as a way to utilize and strengthen my leadership skills, while promoting something that I love so dearly.
Why do you think maintaining the fair queen tradition is important?
I think maintaining this role positively impacts the community through uplifting morale. Also it is a superb way to represent New Holland.
What’s a fun fact about you that would surprise readers?
I have two small agriculture businesses.
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