JOHN COFFELTEditor

Coffee County 2023 Fairest of the Fair Ryan Elizabeth Green

Stepping on to the stage Saturday, Sept. 2, in a flowing yellow chiffon gown, local college freshman Ryan Elizabeth Green earned the title of Coffee County Fairest of the Fair.

Green leads the court along with Second Runner-up Kenzie Givens, Fourth Runner-up People’s Choice Winner Nevaeh Frazier, Third Runner-up Abby Smith and First Runner-up Anna-Leise Strohm.

Participating Fairest judge Carl Stasiunas said that all seven of the contestants were beautiful.

“The really important things I look for is smoothness on stage,” he said. “Are they flowing, are they taking their time? Are they having a good time, or are they rushing it, hurkey-jerky?”

“A really important part, is answering the question on stage,” Stasiunas said. “That is a deal breaker. It’ll make it. In the very end, if there are some ties, but answering the question professionally and completely and smoothly, makes all the difference in the world that can put someone over the top,”

Green, addressing her onstage question of what advice would she give to young women, she charged them to not compare yourself to others.

“We are constantly on social media comparing ourselves,” she said. “And I know it’s hard to be a girl and not compare ourselves to other people. I would educate young women on how to be confident in yourselves and not compare yourselves to others.”

Chairman of the pageant committee Christy Clouse said that the winner of Fairest will advance to the state pageant in January.

“Our Fairest of the Fair will compete against usually 53-54 fair winners,” she said. “It’s a weekend-long event where she will represent our fair at award ceremonies, an opening night ceremony and introduce themselves, do practices and so forth. It’s a big pageant.”

Talking from experience as a former winner, Clouse agreed with the other’s assessment that pageants build confidence.

“Any time you can get a young adult or a child out in front of a group of people to just walk or speak, it builds leadership. It builds confidence,” she said.

“And it’s a good way to represent the county fair,” Clouse said.

Coffee County’s 2022 Fairest of the Fair Addison Welch has been busy representing the fair for the last year.

“It’s a lot of fun, especially right at the beginning,” Welch said. “You have Old Timers Day, Veterans Day and Christmas Parade, then the state pageant. It’s just a whole new ballgame.”

“It’s a lot of fun and the girl’s there are so nice,” she said.

Welch, in a black gown bejeweled with silver sequins, said that the moment when she won last year was utter shock, havening never participated in a pageant before.

“There were all these beautiful girls, and I though there’s no way. I went up there expecting to go home, having given it a good try,” she said.

A new comer this year, CHS Junior Gracie Fowler said that she is working to build confidence.

Fowler wore a ruby red sequined gown with a flowing hem and a sweetheart neckline.

“I’ve been working on this about a month or two, over the summer mainly,” she said. “I had my dress picked out for a couple of weeks, then I put it on and thought, this isn’t the one.”

Motlow Community College sophomore Abby Smith has been doing pageants a year ago. Saturday, she wore an off-the shoulder beige dress with sequins with diamond laced trim.

“I was a shy person and it has really helped me come out of my shell, open up and be a better person,” she said.

She said it’s the backstage comradery with the other girls that stands out.

“What people don’t see is all these girls bonding, becoming happy for each other, then being happy for each other when the crowning happens,” Smith said.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.