Pulaski County's Alyssa Garnett reigns as Miss Indiana State Fair 2014

Serves as fair's official hostess

INDIANAPOLIS - Miss Indiana State Fair 2014 is Alyssa Garnett of Pualski County. She is the daughter of Joe and Cyndi Garnett of Winamac.

Garnett, 20, will be a junior at Purdue University, majoring in business management. She is the 56th Miss Indiana State Fair.

Purpose of the Indiana State Fair Queen and Her Duties

Although the purpose of the Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant itself is to select the next Queen, the main objective behind the event is to choose the best Indiana State Fair representative possible.

The Indiana State Fair Queen is not just a "symbol" of the Fair, and fair officials have worked to move away from the "beauty pageant" image. Contestants are not judged in swimsuits; judging categories are Interview, Evening Gown and Professional Wear. Miss Indiana State Fair is a valuable spokesperson who uses her title as a way to market the 17-day event. She travels over 6,500 miles each June and July visiting an average of 35 county fairs and festivals in order to promote the upcoming Indiana State Fair. Appearances often consist of participation in fair activities, county fair and festival parades, county queen pageants and contestant get-togethers.

Not only is the Queen able to extend the fair's message beyond the Fairgrounds, she is also able to serve as the "eyes and ears" of the Fair coordinators and bring peoples' opinions back to fair officials. Countless times over the years have individuals voiced to the Queen their joys and concerns about the Indiana State Fair.

During the Fair, it is important that the Queen be able to speak to and converse with all types of visitors and guests - 4-Hers, exhibitors, individuals from both rural and urban communities, dignitaries, sponsor representatives, etc. Quite often, 4-H experience equals some degree of knowledge about or familiarity with the Indiana State Fair. However, this is not a requirement for entry in the Queen Pageant. The Fair has had many excellent representatives over the years with little or no 4-H/agricultural background.

Alyssa is the third state fair queen from Pualski County, which has also produced a number of runners-up for the state crown, including Miss Garnett's own mother. Previous queens from Pulaski County were Amber Connolly Rodibaugh who won the crown in 1996 and Bailey Hoover who reigned at the 2006 state fair.

Most recently, Pulaski County's Stacy Gudas was third runner-up in the 2012 State Fair Queen Court, and Sarah Miller was second runner-up and Miss Congeniality in the 2008 court. The current queen's mother, Cyndi Halleck Garnett was fourth runner-up for the state fair crown in 1984.

Miss Garnett's successor will be crowned at the 2015 Miss Indiana State Fair pageant which has been moved to early January. Pulaski County will be represented by Justine Kruger.