Current Conditions
30°F - CLOUDY
Still, their formal gowns weren't ideal clothing for the temperature, which dipped into the 40s.
It was only after Loni Fox was crowned queen that she and her fellow competitors, first runner-up Kelsey Bollinger and second runner-up Angela Swendsen, began to openly shiver — though they were kind enough to wait until after pictures were taken.
"I'll celebrate after the fair closes," Fox said, through chattering teeth. "I'm very happy."
After asking each contestant two questions, the judges convened off stage. When they returned, they told emcee Linda White that the scores were too close to select a winner, so they issued a third question for the young women to answer: "If funding for the farm show were suddenly taken away, how would you argue to get it back?"
Fox said she would point out that the farm show brings the community together.
"Building on to the fair, improving it every year would allow it to become even greater," she said.
Fox, a Manheim Central High student, is the daughter of Randy and Rhonda Fox.
She is a member of her school's choir, participates in Manheim FFA, Lancaster County Association FFA Chapter and Lancaster 4-H Swine Club.She also likes to hunt and camp — though her true passion is real estate, something she plans on studying after high school.
"I don't know where I'm going to school yet, but I'd like it to be close to home," she said.
The rest of the 55th annual fair was well attended on Monday, even as the temperatures dropped and more and more people began donning jackets and woolly hats.
Some people looked envious of the newly hatched chicks sleeping in their heated cages.
"That looks cozy," said Evelyn Gross of Manheim, gazing a the sleeping birds. "I'm kind of jealous of the little guys."
Another attendee, Lois Denmark of Lancaster, said the chilly weather wasn't likely to keep people from the fair.
"You know how people use the term 'football weather?' People like to bundle up then go out and do something fun," she said. "That's what's going on here. It may be brisk, but we're all having fun."
The farm show runs through Friday.
(49) (13) (9) (7)E-mail: cdifonzo@lnpnews.com
