Harvey High School graduate crowned 2023 Fairport Mardi Gras Queen

Bill DeBus, The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio
·2 min read

Jul. 11—A recent graduate of Harvey High School in Painesville has been chosen as the 2023 Fairport Mardi Gras Queen.

Lauren Sams was named as queen on June 29, during the opening night of the 81st annual Mardi Gras festival in Fairport Harbor.

She received the crown from 2022 Mardi Gras Queen Samantha Quinonez. A 2022 graduate of Madison High School, Quinonez is studying nursing at the University of Mount Union.

Starting in the fall, Sams will attend Ohio State University, where she'll study marketing and communications.

Sams competed with five other girls from area high schools for the title of 2023 Mardi Queen:

—Emily Galayda, Fairport Harding

—Liz Lausin, Madison

—Gia Mazzolini, Lake Catholic (selected as first runner-up)

—Katie Sturniolo — Wickliffe (second runner-up)

—Sarah Underwood — Perry

All of the queen prospects were seniors who graduated from their respective high schools in 2023.

After being chosen Mardi Gras Queen, Sams was invited to attend the four-day festival and assist with special events. One of the duties she performed on the last day of Mardi Gras, following the fireworks display, was to choose the winning ticket for the festival's grand prize — a road-legal golf cart or $3,500 cash option.

Next year, Sams will ride in the front of the festival's opening-night parade with local dignitaries and honorees, and crown the 2024 queen.

The 2023 Mardi Gras Queen was chosen by a panel of judges that rated each candidate in three categories: poise, personality and activities/achievements.

Serving as judges for the queen competition were:

—Jim and Louise Balog. The husband and wife were co-winners of the Fairport Harbor Civic Club's 2023 Golden Beacon Award, based on their many hours of volunteer service to Fairport Harbor Schools.

—Shanon Sterringer. She owns The Green Shepherdess, a store at 215 High St. in Fairport Harbor specializing products from throughout the world that are made in compliance with fair-trade principles. Sterringer also serves as pastor of the Hildegard Haus, a church and shrine to St. Hildegard of Bingen that is located at 630 Plum St. in Fairport Harbor.

Painesville Municipal Court Judge Paul Malchesky served as master of ceremonies for this year's Fairport Mardi Gras Queen contest.