Kaylee Phillips is 2021 Miss Effingham County Fair Queen

Kaylee Phillips is the 2021 Miss Effingham County Fair Queen.

Queen Kaylee was crowned at the conclusion of a pageant that drew a big crowd to the fairgrounds at Altamont. The new queen is the daughter of Glen and Jeni Phillips of Effingham. Kaylee's sister, Shayna, served as fair queen in 2019.

Kaylee will reign over the remainder of this year's fair. She will also compete in January at the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention for the title of Miss Illinois County Fair Queen. If she wins that title, she would reign over the 2022 Illinois State Fair and DuQuoin State Fair.

Queen Kaylee succeeds 2020 fair queen Taylor Hartke, who gave a great thank you speech. Taylor's grandpa, Phil Hartke, as President of the Effingham County Fair Board, presented Taylor with a ring on behalf of the Fair Board. 

(EFFINGHAM COUNTY FAIR BOARD PRESIDENT PHIL HARTKE AND HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, RETIRING FAIR QUEEN TAYLOR HARTKE, SHARE A HUG DURING TUESDAY NIGHT'S QUEEN PAGEANT)

We plan to talk with Queen Kaylee Phillips during our harness racing broadcast today at Altamont on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com.

Kyandra Zerrusen was chosen first runner-up. Kyandra also won the Spirit of the Fair Award and the Highest Ticket Sales Award. She also tied with Ella Zumbahlen for the Super Fan Club Award. By the way, Ella Zumbahlen was second runner-up.

Other contestants Tuesday night were Allison Hall, Emily Becker, Abigail Cothran and Joanie Fowler.

A reminder that we will have eight heats of harness racing today, including the Downstate Classic with a purse of up to $25,000. Free admission to the grandstand and free programs for all who attend today.