Middletown Grange Fair Queen Crowned

Winter May Melson got the phone call just after 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

She had done it. After attending the Grange Fair since she was six months old, Winter had been crowned the 2011 Fair Queen.

Winter, 17, was crowned in a ceremony Wednesday at 10 a.m. during the fair’s opening festivities. The popular  is open through Sunday at the  in Wrightstown Township.

Winter, a Doylestown resident, says she’s excited to represent the fair and hopes to be a friendly face to welcome all attendees.

“I’ve been coming to the fair since I was six months old,” she said, adding that she started volunteering at the Grange Fair when she was seven.

To earn her title as Fair Queen, Winter submitted a resume and application that included an essay about what the fair means to her. She then completed an interview, which included a speech about why people should attend the fair.

She said her speech and essay focused on the importance of agriculture in Bucks County and how the fair helps instill a sense of education about and excitement for farming.

“It shows what Bucks County has to offer,” she said.

Plus, she said, the fair is an example of volunteerism and cooperation, with all the various volunteers, 4-H members, vendors and organizations working together to make it all happen.

As Fair Queen, Winter has a few duties. For one, she will be making the rounds throughout the week to say hello to attendees and talk to them about the fair.  She said she aims to “give everyone a feeling that they are welcome.”

Plus, she’ll be at various livestock competitions to present ribbons. On Wednesday, she distributed ribbons during the market hog show.

As a longtime fair devotee and volunteer, Winter has had exposure to lots of farm animals, but there are some that she especially looks forward to seeing each year.

“The dairy cows have to be one of my favorites,” she said.

And everyone has a favorite fair concession, whether it be funnel cake, kettle corn or cotton candy (which all can be found in abundance at the Grange Fair).

“I love the roasted peanuts,” she said.

The Grange Fair is open Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $10 a day to park.