PORT ANGELES — For Janeydean O’Connor, earning the title of Clallam County Fair queen is only one facet of her many talents.
Janeydean, 16, was born in Port Angeles and raised in Sequim. She has been involved in the fair for five years.
She and Princess Marykate Napiontek will host a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. Thursday in the KidZone at the county fairgrounds at 1608 W. 16th St. in Port Angeles on the first day of the four-day fair.
Gates will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The carnival will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
A daily pass is $8 for adults 18 and older, $6 for those 62 and older and students ages 13 to 17, and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. Those 5 and younger will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is free.
Janeydean is a sophomore in a home school co-op, Aletheia, and a 4-H member of Pure Country. She also fills her schedule with ballet, playing the oboe for the Northwinds Homeschool Band and raising turkeys.
In her previous fair experience, Janeydean has showed and auctioned turkeys and pigs and showed cats. This year, along with her royalty duties, she will be showing in the area of poultry.
“It’s very fun to be more involved with the fair,” Janeydean said.
Her 4-H project is poultry, and she said to auction a turkey in the fair, she also must show a chicken — and will be showing Marykate’s chicken.
“I just thought turkeys were interesting birds and it was fun,” Janeydean said. She said she purchased a turkey in April, raised it for four months and will be auctioning it off at the fair this year.
Janeydean said a snapshot of her duties during the fair includes getting up in the morning and feeding the animals, taking care of her barn duties and, if she has spare time, walking around the booths.
One of her favorite parts about the fair is eating scones, she said.
To earn the title of fair queen, Janeydean said she had to attend orientation in January, sell fair passes and collect money, and give a five-minute speech about a specific topic. Candidates must have a minimum of a 2.6 GPA and be in high school. The candidate with the most points earns the title of queen.
Janeydean said in her five-minute speech, she had to explain who her favorite superhero was and why. She said her mother, Becky O’Connor, was her superhero.
“Ten years ago, she had to get a job and start supporting her family, and she did it all by herself,” Janeydean said.
In her free time, Janeydean said some of her favorite activities include walking around downtown Sequim and going shopping and hanging out with friends at the Dungeness River.
When she finishes high school, Janeydean said she might be interested in being an orthodontist because “I want to help people smile.”
Marykate, 16, is a sophomore at Port Angeles High School. Her parents are Mark and Mary Napiontek.
She has been involved in the county fair for a long time — 11 years — and is a 4-H member of Pure Country. Her 4-H projects are cats, poultry and art.
She enjoys drawing, painting, riding her bike and spending time with her animals, as well as singing — which she does in the Port Angeles High School choir.
She plans to go to medical school and wants to work in the field of pediatrics.
Laurie Davies, Clallam County Fair board member and royalty coordinator, said contestants do not have to be members of 4-H or Future Farmers of America, can be male or female and must be high school students with a minimum of a 2.6 GPA.
The Clallam County Fair Royalty is a scholarship program that awards $500 to the queen and $400 to the princess. Royalty must graduate from high school, and the money will go to the school of his or her choice once he or she graduates.
For more information about the fair, see www.clallam.net/Fair/index.html.
