THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY ROB LE CATES
ABOVE: Haley Carlton reacts after hearing her name called as the 2026 Miss Vermilion County Fair Queen. (provided)
GEORGETOWN — The newest Vermilion County fair queen is persistent, winning the prestigious crown in her fourth shot.
The Little Miss in 2014, Haley Carlton’s success varied each year, from not placing to first runner-up.
Starting the Miss Vermilion County Fair Queen Pageant at 16 years old, the now-20-year-old knew each category like the back of her hand.
“It has many different categories [like] public speaking and interviewing and all those things, and this year, I just truly felt myself,” she said. “It was my time, and it was on my birthday, so it was the best.”
The competition included a 4-minute interview, swimsuit modeling, evening-gown modeling and a 1-minute speech. Judges picked the top five from the 13 other competitors, and then came the three random on-stage questions.
Besides experience, Carlton had a leg up in the pageant, having been a Georgetown-Ridge Farm FFA student and a current junior in the agribusiness economics program at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
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