Published on July 9, 2026 11:03 am
Last Updated on July 9, 2026 11:03 am
(2025 Effingham County Fair Queen Krista Phillips was crowned 2026 Illinois County Fair Queen in January. Hannah Spangler of FarmWeek interviewed Queen Krista recently. Here Hannah’s article on their conversation. Photo courtesy of Krista Phillips)
This year’s Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Krista Phillips is serving as a voice for agriculture as she travels miles across the state.
Crowned in January, her summer schedule includes stops at roughly 30 county fairs. Phillips, who is from Effingham County, said attending each fair gives her a chance to see how traditions and programming vary from one community to another.
“Every different county fair is a little bit different,” she told FarmWeek. “It is cool to compare my home county fair to all the other ones and see what different ideas I can help bring back to mine.”
Phillips said county fairs also play a key role in connecting people to agriculture. The Effingham County Fair will celebrate its 82nd year this summer, and many others across Illinois have operated even longer. She said history reflects the lasting importance of fairs as a place to showcase agriculture and unite communities.
“Being able to meet people from every corner of the county in one place is something really special,” Phillips said.
Fairs also provide an opportunity for exhibitors to showcase months of work, particularly through 4-H and FFA programs, she added. Beyond the show barn, county fairs create economic opportunities for local businesses and vendors while reinforcing the connection between agriculture and the communities they serve.
In addition to county fairs, Phillips will spend time at the Illinois State Fair and Du Quoin State Fair, where she will participate in a range of activities, from handing out awards during livestock shows to visiting exhibit buildings and interacting with families and youth exhibitors. Phillips said she has never “been able to experience the entire week of state fair,” so she is excited to do as much as she can while she is there.
Although she was exposed to some of the agriculture industry growing up, Phillips said she did not have a ton of experience with larger-scale farms. Her grandparents raised hogs and now have a small beef cattle herd, and her family has also kept animals at home, including chickens and horses.
That foundation, she said, sparked her interest in agriculture, but the county fair queen role has given her a broader perspective. Through visits to farms and conversations with producers across the state, Phillips said she has continued to build her understanding of the industry she represents.
“Diving into reading different articles, hearing firsthand stories from farmers and just community members, and then having the platform to go to these different events and learn even more, I think that’s something that I’ve really loved so far,” she said of her time as queen.
Before her fair season began, Phillips attended events such as Illinois Agricultural Legislative Day and an Illinois Beef Association event, where she connected with producers and gained additional insight into the industry. She also participated in community outreach, including visits to local schools to encourage interest in agriculture and county fairs.
“I truly am just trying to learn a lot more about agriculture, because that is what I’m representing,” she said. “It all makes for a very busy summer, but it’s one summer that I’ll never forget in my life.”