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The Franklin-Southampton County Fair queens shined amid a stormy Sunday afternoon, Aug. 4, emerging from the pageants to be crowned in front of a crowd of about 200 people at Southampton High School.

Severe weather came through Courtland on Sunday and caused damage at the fairgrounds that forced organizers to cancel the fair, but this will not affect the fair queens’ duties to represent the area for the next year.

The Little Miss Franklin-Southampton County Fair Pageant is for contestants ages 3-13 that are divided into four divisions.

For 2024, the Little Miss Wee Queen is Autumn Joncas, the Little Miss Queen is Brianna Gay, the Little Miss Junior Queen is Kendley Taylor and the Little Miss Preteen Queen is Charlotte Story.

The Miss Franklin-Southampton County Fair Pageant is for contestants ages 14 and older that are divided into three divisions.

For 2024, the Teen Miss Queen is Bella Bills, the Ms./Mrs. Queen is Dr. Catava Burton and the Miss Fair Queen is Chloe Bunn.

Pageant Director Janet Joyner highlighted the requirements the queens met to be eligible for earning the titles that were awarded by a group of pageant judges.

“For the Little Miss (Pageant), they did their fun fashion, and then they had their evening gown, and that’s how they’re chosen,” Joyner said. “And then for the older girls, they have a private interview, they do fun fashion, their gown and on-stage questions.”

Joyner noted that the title of Miss Heart goes to the contestant out of all seven divisions that raises the most money for the pageants, earning a spot in the queens’ court. Earning that distinction for 2024 was Stormy Porter.

Joyner was pleased overall with how the pageants went this year.

“We had a very good attendance,” she said. “I know it was every bit of 200 or more.”