The 2021 Fisher Fair was more than just a time to eat deep-fried food and go in circles on carnival rides for Bailey Bonham and Layla Edwards.
The girls, aged 7 and 11, respectively, took their talents to the Fair’s pageant, winning the Little Miss and Junior Miss titles.
Of course, the girls who were crowned at the beginning of the week had plenty of time to catch up with their friends as they screamed under the neon lights. But Bonham and Edwards also began to take the initiative to make their community a better place immediately.
“I would get up early and start at the fair by 7:30-8 a.m. in the morning and not get home until 10:30-11 p.m. at night,” Bonham said. “I helped with kids’ games, spent so many awesome times in the barns with goats, sheep, and cows. I watched the demos for the first time, rode lots of rides, watched the rodeo, introduced myself a lot, and met lots of fairgoers.”
Bonham and Edwards took part in some perks associated with their titles. They got to go on stage during country music singer and songwriter Rodney Atkins’ performance, dancing in front of 1,500 people. They also spent time with emerging musicians Kasey Burton and Chris Bandi and spend time with University of Illinois basketball player Zach Griffith.
Edwards said her favorite part was interacting with the crowds each day.
“I loved getting to see smiles on the faces of the people I got to hand out ribbons to,” she said.
“I even lost my earring in the showing area and they stopped the show and everyone enjoyed watching us look for the earring and mom found it.”
Edwards’ journey to the big stage was a way to help her come out of her “shell.”
A self-described “shy kid”, the opportunity to be in the pageant helped her work on speaking and presentation skills in a way that helped her build confidence.
Leading up to the fair, Edwards spent her days practicing for the event with her family. Her mom helped “judge”, her little brother asked random questions and her dad lightened the mood by making her laugh.
“I would play our opening number dance on YouTube and practice it,” she said. “I would practice walking in my heels so I didn’t trip on stage…which I still did!”
Bonham, a newcomer to pageants, knew a little bit about what she was getting into. Her sister, Mackenzie has spent years in pageants, and become an ambassador for Shriner’s Children’s Hospital.
But it was that experience that helped Bonham understand her responsibilities.
“I learned a lot but the most important thing was that if you work hard for what you want and believe in yourself your dreams are possible,” she said.
“It was important to show the judges and the audience that even though I’m little I can do what was asked of me and that I really loved being up there on the stage.”
Those dreams came with help from her family, and will continue to be developed as she walks beside Edwards and Fisher Fair Queen Sarah Porter (Gifford).
The trio will be together throughout the upcoming year as they continue to do community service projects, participate in local parades, and support Porter as she competes at the state level in January.
Edwards said their titles will also carry into the day-to-day, though.
“I am a role model to Fisher and those around me,” Edwards said. “Every action that I do now is representing my title and if I see a little kid, I need to be well-behaved around everyone. I need to show the utmost respect because Fisher has chosen me to represent them.”
