‘So honored to have this role.’ Meet the Centre Hall teen crowned 2023 Grange Fair Queen
Five years ago, Teaghan Bair watched in awe as her sister Morgan was crowned on the stage at Grange Fair. On Wednesday night, she was able to experience it for herself.
“I fell in love with walking around the fair, following behind her when she was queen,” Bair said. “I was just again so honored to have this role and to look up to someone like my sister.”
Bair, a senior at Centre County Christian Academy, was crowned 2023’s Centre County Grange Fair Queen during Wednesday night’s coronation, taking on the mantle of fair ambassador for the upcoming year. As Bair’s family gathered on the stage for a photograph with the new queen, her mother held up a cellphone so two of Bair’s sisters, Meagan and 2019 Grange Fair Queen Morgan, could also participate in the celebration.
During the competition, Bair gave an impassioned speech about the history and traditions of the fair, including her family’s long history with the Grange Fair. Her father, Jason, grew up two houses down from the fair entrance and watched his father work at the fair’s front gate for 40 years. The Bair family said they are thrilled to help take on the duties of Grange Queen once more.
“It is one of the most amazing experiences, so to get to do it a second time is just beyond belief,” Teaghan’s mom Chrissy Bair said. “We’ve tried very hard to keep Teaghan’s experience separate from Morgan’s. But there’s just so much that’s so exciting about all of this, getting to meet all of the different people. It’s just gonna be an amazing ride.”
Bair is the second consecutive Centre Hall teenager to be crowned queen, taking over the title from 2022 Grange Fair Queen Ella Smith. Smith, a Penns Valley Area alumna, thanked her friends, family and supporters in a nearly 15-minute long speech.
Her advice to the future fair queen?
“Take a deep breath, have fun and live in the moment,” Smith said.
For the first time ever, the queen contest also included junior fair ambassadors, four girls ages 13-15 will shadow Bair and attend events with the rest of the court.
Bair was one of five girls to compete in the long held fair tradition, which includes an essay, speech, interview and an impromptu question from the judges. Jaylene Everhart, a junior at State College Area High School, was named first alternate and Hailey Zeigler, a Bald Eagle Area graduate, was awarded Miss Congeniality. Madeline High, a State High graduate, and Penns Valley graduate Kryslynn Ronk also participated.
Bair will go on to compete at the State Fair Queen contest in January alongside several of the other fair queens that attended the event, including Clearfield County’s Eva Bloom.
With the Grange Fair officially starting on Friday, Bair said she’s looking forward to meeting all the fairgoers and showing off her brand-new tiara to all the little girls and boys she meets.
