It’s Saturday, April 1, 2023 and the arena at the Walker County Fairgrounds is bustling with activity. The stage is decorated with an assortment of red, white, silver and black balloons. Some resemble black and white cow spots, and there is one special balloon in the middle, which is a silver crown. A number of girls dressed in sparkly long dresses and cowboy hats, all with long hair and perfectly applied makeup, are mingling with the crowd that has gathered. They are there to attend the crowning of the Walker County Fair Queen.

The first onstage presentation is of the youngest competitors, in the Fair Prince and Princess competitions. There is a little girls division and an older girls division, but only one division for the boys. The competition chairperson explains that some of the runners-up aren’t able to make the presentation because they are participating in the rodeo’s Mutton Bustin’ competition.

After the crowning of the Fair Prince and Princesses, it is time for the high school girls – those competing for the title of Walker County Fair Queen – to be introduced. They are each walked onstage by their parents and then one-by-one, they are individually presented. Contestant number five is Lillie Burris, daughter of Damon and Amanda Burris. By the end of the day, she will be crowned as the 2023 Walker County Fair Queen.

As sweet and elegant as she looks in her beautiful gown, Lillie is also smart as a whip (ranked in the top one percent of Huntsville High School Class of 2025 and a 2023 National Youth Leadership Forum Invited Scholar) and tough (she needs to be as a member of the Huntsville High School wrestling team, the Huntsville Military Marching Band, and the Walker County 4-H Swine Club). She has been raising swine for years with her brother and raised the WCFA Grand Champion Market Barrow in 2022–so when she says her post-graduate plans are to go to Texas A&M, it is natural to ask if she will be pursuing agriculture. In fact, she plans to become a doctor, a lifelong dream born from her experience as a micro preemie.

Almost a year later, Postcards caught up with Lillie to talk to her about what it was like to win the Fair Queen competition and what it has been like to serve in this prestigious role.

What made you decide to run for Fair Queen?

When I was six or seven, my best friend Harper and I were in the Princess competition, and that was the year Kara Kuykendahl was crowned Fair Queen. On my fridge, I have a picture from that year of her with me. She was my inspiration.

How did it feel to be declared the Walker County Fair Queen?

Honestly, it felt unreal. We were standing on the stage, and they were opening the envelopes. I had already stood on stage the year prior, when I was on the court. And I was sitting there and didn’t hear my name being called.  I was like, that’s okay, you always have next year. But then I heard Miss Kuykendahl call my name, and I stepped forward, but it felt like a dream. It didn’t really feel real until I got home later that night and took off my sash and crown. I looked down at it and was like…wow, I really won the Fair Queen competition! It was pretty amazing.

What was the response in your school and the community?

It’s been really surprising. Obviously, I was out of school for a week, but when I came back, everyone was so supportive. My friends were excited, and the teachers were amazing. Everybody was telling me how proud they were of me. It was really cool to have that support system. And in the community still, it seems like more people know who I am; not just because they know my parents, but because of what I’ve accomplished.

The Walker County Fair Queen competition is much more than a beauty contest. Tell me a little more about it.

Personally, I don’t consider it a pageant, and I don’t think the sponsors or board members would consider it a pageant, either. We’re not being judged on our clothing, or how our dress and makeup look. We are being judged by our personality, how well we present ourselves as a person, our conversational skills, our knowledge of the world around us, and our knowledge of the projects we are raising.

Okay, so tell me a little bit about the projects. Are all you girls doing the same project, or do you each have separate projects?

The girls don’t all have the same project. The only thing you can do for your project is what you’re showing at the Walker County Fair that year. The majority of what you’re scored on is your project presentation. There is a time limit, and it is normally memorized, with strict parameters on what you can and cannot do. I did my project on the feeding of swine, of our show pigs. Last year, my project was about how the ingredients in swine feed can affect your pig’s muscle and weight gain, and how to adjust your feed to achieve your desired result.

You really have to become a real expert in your field. It’s not something to be taken lightly. You have to have a very thorough understanding of whatever your project is over. It requires hours and hours of research, revisions, and editing.

So, once you were crowned Fair Queen, what came next?

First, during the week of the rodeo, my court – the first runner-up and the second-runner up – and I volunteered with Kindergarten Day and the Special Kids Rodeo. We also attended every event and awards presentation at the county fair, the livestock show, and the rodeo. That included doing our own shows (other competitions we were in).

That’s a lot! How do you balance doing your own showings with your Fair Queen duties? That has to be difficult.

Yes ma’am. There’s no way I could have done it without my mom and dad. My dad helped me look after my pigs and get them in the barn so I could run around and do all the (queen) stuff, and my mom was there with lipstick and blush. I could not have done it all without them.

So that was the County Fair and Rodeo week, but your reign as Fair Queen lasts all year. What other duties do you have?

My court and I make appearances at community events, like the Go Texan Crawfish Boil in May. We also attend the monthly fair board meetings and are involved with the comings and goings of the fair throughout the year. We volunteer at events and say a prayer and the pledge, and if there is an event going on we want to attend, we can go and represent the (Walker County Fair) organization there.

There’s a lot you do with your court. Are there any duties that are just yours as the Fair Queen?

There is a lot of teamwork throughout the year, but one duty that falls specifically on me as the queen is getting ready for the next Fair Queen competition. I am a support person for the girls who are competing for the title of Fair Queen. I help coordinate the judges’ lunches and dinners, as well as the girls’ projects. I emcee the contest on crowning day; I have a parting speech; and I crown the next Fair Queen.

Is there any moment that stands out as particularly memorable in your time as Fair Queen?

Yes, there was one really funny moment. During the fair, we do the barbeque cook-off awards. Last year, it rained so much there was mud everywhere. There were places where it was literally up to your knees. We (my court and I) wore dark jeans so we wouldn’t look too dirty, but we still had to wear our hats, crowns, and sashes.  So there we were, walking around with these giant mud boots on, the bottom half of our bodies covered with mud, and the top halves of us in makeup and curls. It just makes me laugh because it was such a contrast.

What do you think you’ve gained by participating in the Fair Queen competition?

Competing for two years, I’ve been able to see myself grow from year one to year two. Obviously, I learned more about my project and the fair; but most importantly, I learned social skills and I learned how to speak in front of people. I think the most important skill I gained from this competition was public speaking.

Has this opened up new doors for you?

It really has. There’s a scholarship that comes with the crown, which is going to be a huge help for my education. It’s also an amazing role which has taught me so many leadership skills. I’ve learned how to hold myself to a higher standard and present myself well, and people respect that.

One of the things you said on stage the day you were crowned is that you wanted to be an inspiration for younger girls. How do you want to inspire them? What are you trying to get them to aspire to?

Obviously, I would love for them to participate in competitions like I have. I just want to inspire them to know they can have confidence in themselves; that they can put their minds to something and can achieve it. They’re not limited by the people around them.

How do you think it will feel when your reign comes to an end and you crown the next Walker County Fair Queen on March 30th?

I think it’s going to be bittersweet. I know all the girls who are going to compete this year, and I would be happy for any one of them to win. But I’m also going to be sad, because I have had so much fun and have loved it so much.

What advice would you give to the current group or future groups of Fair Queen contestants?

Keep your shoulders back and your head up, and be confident in yourself. You have to know who you are and be true to that, no matter what anybody says.