Miss Blueberry Pageant Saturday, June 19
This year marks the 55th Annual Marshall County Blueberry Festival. The theme for this year is “Faith, Family, Farming.”
On Saturday, June 19, the first official event of the festival, The Miss Blueberry Scholarship Pageant, featuring the “crowning” of the new 2021 Miss Blueberry by Abigail Powell, 2019 Miss Blueberry as she relinquishes her crown.
A total of 11 young ladies from throughout Marshall County will vie for the crown. The contestants have been busy for weeks leading up to the pageant. Leanne Senter has been busy helping the girls with dance rehearsals, a Community Service night, practices on walking and grace, getting use to a stage and a pizza party to relax prior to dress rehearsal on Friday evening.
On the day of the pageant, the contestants will have a personal interview with the panel of Judges. This interview will count 40% of their score. This same panel of Judges will evaluate the contestants in Theme Wear during the on stage portion of the contest in the evening. Each young lady will be wearing what “Faith, Family, Farming” means to them. The contestants will also appear in Formal Wear. Both the Theme Wear and the Formal Wear portions will each count 30% toward their score for the evening.
The 2021 Miss Blueberry will receive a $1,250
Scholarship, a Crown, Cut Glass Bowl, Blueberry Necklace, and a Portrait. The 1st Runner up will receive a $750 Scholarship & a Cut Glass Bowl. The 2nd Runner up will receive a $500 Scholarship & a Cut Glass Bowl. Miss Friendship, chosen by the contestants, will receive a $100 cash award and a Heart Shaped Cut Glass Bowl. Also, A $200 Cash prize will be award for interview, A $100 cash prize for Theme, and a $100 prize for Gown. The Queen and her Court will represent the festival at several parades throughout the summer as well as various activities during the Festival.
In November, the Queen will represent the Marshall County Blueberry Festival in the Indiana State Festival Queen Pageant In Greenfield. This gives our Blueberry Festival Queen a chance to meet other Queens from other festivals from around the state. And a chance for additional scholarship money.
The pageant will be held at the Argos High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $5, with children 12 and under free. The public is invited and encouraged to come and support all of the contestants as they compete for the 2021 Miss Blueberry crown.
Following is a list of the Queen contestants:
•Contestant #1 - Alyxa Marie Viers - Alyxa is the 20 year old daughter of Jamey and Don Baker and Brent Viers of Tippecanoe. She has three siblings, Abbey, Addyson, and Avery. Alyxa was a 2020 graduate from Triton Jr./sr. High School and attends Ancilla College.
•Contestant #2 - Kendall Carnes - Kendall is the 20 year old daughter of Ron and Tiena Carnes of Argos. She has one sibling Claire. Kendall was a 2019 graduate of Argos High School and attends Saint Mary’s College.
•Contestant #3 - Claire Carnes - Claire is the 19 year old daughter of Ron and Tiena Carnes of Argos. She has an older sister Kendall. Claire is a 2020 graduate of Plymouth High school and is in a dental assistant program at Afdent.
•Contestant #4 - Maggie Bradway - Maggie is the 17 year old daughter of Kerry and Jason Bradway. She has 1 sibling Zoey. Maggie is a 2021 graduate of Plymouth High School and will be going into the United States Air Force after graduation.
•Contestant #5 - Jaela Faulkner - Jaela is the 18 year old daughter of Joel and Justina Faulkner. She has a younger sister Jocelynn. She is a 2021 graduate of Triton Jr/sr High School and will attend Manchester University in the fall.
•Contestant #6 - Kara Mcneal- Kara is the 17 year old daughter of Belinda and Ron Mcneal of Plymouth. Kara has 2 siblings Kristen and Joshua. She is a 2021 graduate of Plymouth High School and will attend Ivy Tech in the fall.
•Contestant #7 - Haley Sue Erin Hooley - Haley is the 19 year old daughter of Shawn and Brandy Hooley of Tippecanoe. She has three siblings Hanna, Brayden and Violet. Haley is a 2020 graduate of Triton Jr/sr High School. Haley is attending IUPUI, Indianpolis.
•Contestant #8 - Ivy Marie Powell - Ivy is the 18 year old daughter of Brandon and Melea Hoffer of Bourbon. She has two siblings, Abigail and Mitchell. Ivy is a 2021 graduate of Triton Jr/sr High School and plans to attend Purdue University in the fall.
•Contestant #9 Annastasia Hutchings Annastasia is the 17 year old daughter of Zacc and Leslie Hutchings of Plymouth. She has 2 siblings, Zacc and Noelle. She is currently attending Plymouth High school.
•Contestant #10 Delanie Cathleen Groves - Delanie is the 20 year old daughter of Jason and Carrie Groves of Bourbon. Delanie’s siblings include Jolie and Mylie. Delanie was a 2019 graduate of Triton Jr/sr High school. She currently attending Grace College.
•Contestant #11 - Elle Houin- Elle is the 18 year old daughter of Tim and Kristel Houin of Plymouth. She has a brother, Michael. Elle is a 2021 graduate of Plymouth High school and will attend Saint Mary’s College in the fall.
The Marshall County Blueberry Festival Board of Directors would like to thank Miss Abigail Powell, 2019 Miss Blueberry for the excellent job she has done wearing her “crown”. Abigail is the 20 year old daughter of Brandon and Melea Hoffer of Bourbon. She is a Junior at Purdue University with a double major in Agriculture Business and Communications.