DECATUR — The show must go on.
After a successful pageant last year, despite a pandemic, organizers for the Illinois Festival Pageant are back with even more contestants.
The pageant will include the crowning of a Queen, Junior Miss and Pre-Teen. Princesses will receive special awards such as for their personality, People’s Choice, and Most Raffle Tickets.
The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Decatur Club. Admission is $10 for audience members.
Moving the pageant to a new location last year had a positive effect for the organizers.
“We are going to stay in the same venue because they were so accommodating with all the COVID issues and all the challenges from last year,” said Melissa Muirheid, pageant director for Illinois Festival Pageants.
The competition was open to women throughout Illinois, ranging in age from 17 to 24 for the Queen candidates, 14 to 16 for the Junior Miss category, 10 to 13 for the Preteens, and 5 to 9 for the Princesses.
The list of contestants is longer than past years. Saturday’s pageant will have 12 Queens, nine competing for Junior Miss, 12 Preteens, and five Princesses.
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Muirheid reached out to the county fair directors, inviting any young women to compete. “This would be good for us and good for you,” she said to the directors.
Contestants will be arriving from various locations throughout the state, including Chicago in the north and Columbia near the southwest.
In the past the pageant was held at the Decatur Civic Center. Because of last year’s regulations for public facilities, organizers moved the competition to the Decatur Club.
“With all of the rules in place, I couldn’t have 50 people here, 50 people at another place,” Muirheid said about the civic center’s auditorium. “The Decatur Club has different levels.”
This year, organizers plan to sit the audience together on the main floor.
“There are four divisions, so they get their money’s worth,” Muirheid said.
Macon County health leaders pleaded with the community to take the necessary precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19.
A look back at Decatur pageants
1949
1949: Miss Marilee Scribner, center, last night was named Miss Decatur of 1949. She will compete for the Miss Illinois title at Quincy July 9. Runners up to Miss Scribner were Suzanne Malhoit, standing left, second place; Patricia Monroe, standing-right, third place; Jeannine Renowden, seated left, fourth place; and Pat Long, seated right, fifth place.
Waiting for their turn
1976: The hopeful contestants wait patiently for their turn on the stage.
Jan Kenny
1976: Miss Macon County Fair Queen Jan Kenny exults after winning the title and is congratulated by contestant Beth Kling.
37 competing to be queen
1978: Miss Macon County Fair Queen Debbie Conerty, right, and event supervisor Mrs. Don Dipper stand in front of candidates for this year’s title.
Fair queen hopefuls
1977: These 10 young women are among 24 seeking this year’s Macon County Fair Queen title. They are, front row from left, Denise Chepan of 2102 Samuels St., Kristy Campbell, Lori Gorden, Pame Rosborough and Donna Christiansen. In back row, from left, are Diane Isenhart, Debbie Conerty, Jodi Rotz, Sue Bourisaw and Paula Russell.
Maryanne Sandlin
1973: Melody Smith places a crown on the head of her successor, Maryanne Sandlin
Maryanne Sandlin
1973: Miss Macon County Fair: Maryanne Sandlin
Queen Debbie Conerty
1977: Becky Meister, right, waits to give congratulations to Queen Debbie Conerty.
Debbie Conerty
1977: Debbie Conerty, Macon County Fair Queen, in bathing suit, gown and with trophy and winning smile.
Miss Decatur 1958
1958
Miss Decatur 1959
1959
Nancy Nottlemann
1958: Nancy Nottelmann. second from left, of Warrensburg was crowned Miss Decatur last night in a beauty pageant at the Masonic Temple
Top of the rainbow
1986: Cheri Fenton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Fenton of Decatur, was chosen queen Thursday night in the 20th Annual Miss Decatur Recreation Pageant.
Rec Queen crowned
1980: Eleven-year-old Jill Schultz was crowned 1980 Miss Decatur Recreation.
Ali Rebecca Gauss
1982: Ali Rebecca Gaus ignored a whisper and is now Miss Decatur Recreation.
Jill Scultz
1980: Jill Schultz, center, shows surprise as she is named Miss Decatur Recreation. Roni Hoffman, at left, Jamie Stirrett is at right.
The winner!
1984: Tarnara Walker, at center, has just found out she was sponsored by the recreation department and is Miss Decatur Recreation 1984.
Jennifer Scehnet
1984: Jennifer Scehnet performs at Miss Decatur Recreation Pageant.
Tammy Kinsey
1976: Tammy accepts congratulations from other contestants.
Stephanie Ray
1983: Miss Decatur Recreation Stephanie Ray.
Franci Hector
1978: Miss Decatur Recreation Franci Hector.
Franci Hector Miss Recreation contest winner
1978: The singing and tap dancing routing of “Miss Scarlet O’Hara” won the hearts of the judges Thursday night and for Franci Hector, 10, the Miss Decatur Recreation 19878 crown.
Miss Decatur Recreation Deanne
1977: Deanne reacts with surprise a she is named winner.
Kim Nickels
1974: Kim Nickels in her new role.
Miss Decatur Recreation 1981
1981: Tina Bullock holds trophy after being crowned Miss Decatur Recreation.
1981
1981: Newly crowned 1981 queen Tina Bullock, 10, drew on not only her own talents, but the expertise of her dance teacher, a former Miss Decatur Recreation, to capture her title.
1979
1979: Jamie Stirrett, right, is crowned Miss Decatur Recreation.
The winner
1989: Angela Hughes celebrates her triumph in the fair’s beauty pageant.
Newly crowned
1988: Newly crowned Miss Decatur-Macon County Fair Queen Kari Jackson, right, receives a congratulatory hug Wednesday night from second runner-up Tiffany Brelsfoard (holding trophy).
Nervous waiting
1985: Nervous waiting. That’s one thing any contestant in a beauty pageant learns all about. The 28 contestants in this year’s Decatur-Macon County Fair Queen pageant were no exception.
Jennifer Starr
1987: Jennifer Starr beams after winning pageant.
The final countdown
1985: The finalists, waiting for the final countdown.
1989
1989
1989
1989
Queen hopefuls
Candidates in the Macon County Fair Queen contest and their sponsors include from left, back row, Martha Dye, 17, Sears, Roebuck & Co.; Cindy Toth, 18, Sears; Mary Hamilton, 18, Sears; Cheryl McKinney, 18, Sears; Annette Unser, 19, Sears; front row, Debra Grabb, 17, Borsay Studio; Paula Buck, 17, Myers Brothers; Kelly Guysinger, 16, Sears; and anita Cobb, 18, Fashion and Fabics.
Lora Hall
1981: Lora Hall, the newly-crowned 1981 Miss Macon County Fair.
Queen contest
1990: Decatur-Macon County’s Dustie Scott rehearses Monday.
Annette Unser
1974: Annette Unser, newly crowned queen of the Decatur-Macon County Fair.
Debbie Conerty
1977: Debbie Conerty is 1977 Decatur-Macon County Fair Queen.
Anne Hubbard
1976: First runner-up Anne Hubbard, left, and second runner-up Teresa Brown hold their trophies.
1979
1979: Miss Macon County Fair will be chosen from this group, the largest number ever entered in the contest.
43 candidates
1981: Forty-three candidates will vie for the title of Decatur-Macon County Fair Queen.
Thirty vie for queen title
1980: These young women will compete for the title of Macon County Fair queen.
Fair queen contestants
1977: These 10 young women are among 24 seeking the Macon County Fair Queen title. They are, front row from left, Julie Keller, Michele Greenberg, Nancy Hice, Diane Ferguson. In back grow, from left, are Jo Beth Heaton, Jill Ernst, Terri Cowell, Pam Marshall and Lisa Snow.
Macon County’s Entry
1972: Marcella Cline of Mount Zion, 1971 Macon County Fair queen, was among the contestants for Miss Illinois County Fair queen over the weekend.
1975
1975: The fifteen young ladies pictured above will compete for the title of Miss Macon County Fair Queen. They are (first row) Karen Moore, Patricia Govro, Nancy Kunz; (second row) Michelle Gard, Sandra Kuehl, Penny Nichols; (third row) Debbi Coleman, Dawn Connor, Pamela Sheets, Karen Woodrum, Cindy Dudley; (fourth row) Donna Edwards, Lisa Musser, Linda Theroff and Dawn Faulkner.
Future Miss Illinois?
1968: Miss Decatur 1968, Judy Taylor, at right looks in the mirror to see the results of a morning session with her hair dresser. Mrs. Robert Barber works on her hair in the inset picture, lower left. Miss Taylor, a junior at the University of Illinois, left Decatur this morning for Aurora, where she will participate in the Miss Illinois contest, which concludes Saturday.
Crowning ceremony
1965: Karen Rubins is crowned Miss Decatur by Lynette Boatman at last night’s pageant in the Masonic Temple. The contest is sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Pageant bid okayed
1963: Miss Illinois crowns new Miss Decatur
Beauty’s Quest
1962: Marcia Kay Walters seeks Illinois title.
Needle and thread
1967: Miss Decatur, Letitia Kopeke, is handy with a needle and thread.
There she is…
1966: Miss Bristle, 19, a Millikin University freshman from La Grange Park, seems about to burst with happiness minutes after being crowned. The competition began a month ago with 18 entrants.
Miss Decatur and talent
1964: Lynette Boatman shows both the figure and talent which helped make her Miss Decatur Saturday night. She is 5 feet 3 1/2, weights 109 pounds and has measurements of 34-22-34. A dance student for 12 years, she hopes to be a star some day in ballet.
Miss Nottelmann
1958: Miss Judy Slade, left, Miss Decatur of 1957, crowns Miss Nancy Nottelmann Miss Decatur of 1958 in a beauty pageant last night in the Masonic Temple. Miss Nottelman, 18, will now compete for the Miss Illinois title. The Miss Decatur contest was sponsored by the Decatur Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Packs for trip
1967: Letitia Ann Koepke, Miss Decatur of 1967, packs for her trip to Aurora and the Miss Illinois Pageant which begins today. Miss Koepke, 20, will be a senior at Millikin University this fall.
Judy Schliper wins Miss Decatur title
1963: Marcia Schliper crows successor Judy Schliper
’61 Miss Decatur Contest
1961: Jackie K. Bean, Miss Decatur of 1961
Surprised
1963: Miss Decatur Judith Schlieper
Ann Owens
1973: Ann Owens wears the Miss Decatur Recreation crown.
Miss Decatur 1928
1928: Beulah Kistler receives the key to the city from Mayor O.W. Smith. Kistler won the Miss Decatur contest.
Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR
