Shown above are Mattie Vandale, Miss WV Cupcake Festival; Madison Gill, Miss Yuletide in the Park; Delaney Noelle Roberts, Miss Hurricane Independence Day; Emma Grace Rectenwald, Miss Little Kanawha Riverfest; Emma Luikart, Miss Putnam County Fair; Alyssa Smith, Miss WV Coal Festival.

The West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals pageant is the premier statewide beauty event because every participant is a 2025 winner of a West Virginia fair or festival.

Four of the 71 contestants promoted Putnam County events — the Putnam County Fair, Hurricane Independence Day, Yuletide in the Park, and WV Cupcake Festival. Putnam County winners also promoted Little Kanawha Riverfest (Wirt County) and WV Coal Festival (Boone County).

The 2026 WVAFF pageant winner was Miss Kourtney Jones representing the WV Strawberry Festival. She received her crown from WV Secretary of Agriculture Kent Leonhart and will reign as Queen of the West Virginia State Fair this summer.

First Runner Up was Mattie Vandale representing Valley Park’s WV Cupcake Festival.

Other Putnam County pageant winners were Miss Putnam County Fair Emma Luikart; Miss Hurricane Independence Day Delaney Noelle Roberts; and Miss Yuletide in the Park Madison Gill.

Emma Grace Rectenwald of Winfield competed as Miss Little Kanawha Riverfest and Alyssa Smith of Poca aas Miss WV Coal Festival.