Miss Iroquois County is State Fair Queen; Miss Effingham County Fair in Top 15 Finalists

19-year-old Samantha Hasselbring is the 2018 Illinois County Fair Queen.

The Cissna Park resident is Miss Iroquois County. She was crowned the 59th state fair queen Sunday evening at the conclusion of the pageant held at Crowne Plaza in Springfield.

The queen pageant was part of the 108th Annual Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention.

The new queen is currently attending Parkland College in Champaign majoring in elementary education. She will be a summer employee of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. She will travel to about 30 county fairs, and will be the official hostess of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair.

Miss Richland County Kylar Craig was named the first runner-up. Miss Effingham County Fair Maria Lueken of Teutopolis was among the Top 15 finalists. Among the non-finalists, Miss Clay County Mikayla Stanfield won the Best in Beauty and Physique competition.

The finals of the State Fair Talent Show were also held at the Convention. In the Junior Division, a Richland County dance troupe finished seventh performing to music from "Mary Poppins". In the Senior Division, siblings Andrew and KayLynn Moeller finished seventh as the two sang and Andrew provided Clavinova accompaniment to "Skyfall". Jenna Zumbahlen of Jasper County finished fourth with her vocal performance of "Hallelujah".

The Convention is also the opportunity for county fair officials to touch base with many of the entertainers who will perform at their fairs later this year.