Adams County Fair crowns 2024 royalty

The Adams County Fair kicked off Tuesday with the Little Miss and Mister Pageant as 20 boys and girls ages 3-6 from Adams County competed for the titles, answering pre-written questions on stage. 

The judges chose Baylor Grace Gunther to serve as the Little Miss Adams County. Riggin Wietholder was named Little Mister Adams County Fair.

Maelynn Gosney was the runner-up for the Little Miss Adams County title.

Baylor Grace is the 6 year-old daughter of Joshua and Brittany Gunther of Camp Point.  Riggin Wietholder is the 4 year-old son of Monte and Catherine Wietholder of Quincy.

Maelynn, who is 5, also picked up the ‘Be Like Grace’ Award. She is the daughter of Andrew and Lexie Gosney of Ursa.  The ‘Be Like Grace’ award honors Grace Schell, the 2011 Little Miss Adams County Fair who died in a tragic ATV accident. The award recognizes a special contestant who shows kindness to other children or contestants around her.  

The Pageant program hosted a Texas Roadhouse Takeover Night on July 16th to raise money for scholarships for the Pageant contestants.  During that fundraiser, some contestants chose to participate in the Peoples’ Choice award competition to raise votes and money for the pageant program. Peoples’ Choice Award winners were Faith Sigmund, the 3 year-old daughter of Jacob and Emily Sigmund of Ursa. Marcus Buck got the most votes for the boys. He is the 6 year-old son of Jonathon and Sarah Buck of Quincy.

The Little Miss and Mister Pageant preceded the Miss Adams County Fair Pageant and Sweetheart of Adams County Pageant. 

Seven Sweethearts of Adams County participated in the pageant this year. The Sweetheart of Adams County Pageant is a unique opportunity for individuals of all ages with intellectual or physical disabilities to experience being a Queen or King for an evening. The Sweetheart of Adams County Pageant is open to all ages from 3 to 99, and is meant to give individuals a chance to focus on their abilities and gain life skills, self-confidence and happiness. 

Madalyn Gibbs, 17, was crowned the 2024 Miss Adams County during the Miss Adams County Fair Pageant Wednesday. She is the daughter of Jason and Amanda Gibbs of Liberty. She will be a senior at Liberty High School this fall. Following graduation she plans to join the Air Force. She would like to pursue a career in Criminal Justice and eventually become an FBI agent. 

Gibbs is the 59th Adams County Fair Queen to be crowned since the pageant began in 1965. The Adams County Fair continues through Tuesday, July 30.  Find more info at www.adamsfair.org