NORWICH – A local tradition celebrates a 40th anniversary ... In 1970, the Chenango Community Players, a local theatre group, was asked by the fair committee to hold two evenings of entertainment in front of the grandstand. A member of the players had competed the previous year in a pageant at the Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. Based on her experience, she suggested to the group that a local teen-ager pageant be part of the entertainment.
After receiving a resounding approval on the idea, a search for local contestants began and the pageant was held with 12 teens from all over Chenango County. The winner that year was Debbie Hill of Greene. The following year the players decided they did not want to continue to do two evenings of entertainment and so the official torch was handed to Dick and Lola Gillespie.
Every August since that time, the Miss Chenango County Teen-ager Pageant has been held at the fairgrounds as part of the annual fair events and this year we will crown our 40th Miss Chenango County Teen-ager! The pageant will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at the fairgrounds in Norwich.
As part of our 40th anniversary celebration, we are welcoming ALL teen contestants to join us this year for FREE. Eligibility requirements are that the contestant be between the ages of 13-19, unmarried and without children. Additionally, she must work, live, or go to school within Chenango County. As part of the winner’s prize package, she will represent Chenango County in the Miss Teen-Ager of New York Pageant, also a Gillespie Pageant that is held here in Norwich every August.
Over the years we have crowned Miss Chenango County Teen-agers from Afton, Greene, Guilford, New Berlin, Norwich, Oxford, Pitcher, Plymouth, Sherburne, South New Berlin and South Plymouth. Two of our Sherburne Miss Chenango County Teen-agers went on to win the state competition, Miss Teen-Ager of New York. Those lucky ladies were Claudeen Travis in 1985 and Amy Weisse in 1991.
Our reigning Miss Chenango County Teen-ager is Tiffani Ackley, of Sherburne. Tiffani is the daughter of Keith and Tracey Thornton. She recently graduated from Sherburne-Earlville High School. She will be attending Ithaca College in the fall to study Psychology and hopes to be a part of the Ithaca Bombers Cheerleading Squad. Tiffani is very proud to represent Chenango County and be a part of the Gillespie pageant family. She would like to wish all of the contestants this year the best of luck.
For teen-ager applications or more information, parents and interested teens should call Pageant Director, Dick Gillespie at 334-9556.
In addition to the teen portion of this years’ Chenango County Pageant, on the same day (August 12th), there will also be a New York State Stars preliminary pageant open to girls and boys in the following age groups: 0-12 months, 13-24 months, 2-3 years, 4-5 years, 6-8 years and 9-12 years. All contestants will receive a trophy for participating and the winners in each age group will receive a crown, sash, trophy and paid entry to the New York State Pageant of the Stars held annually in Cortland in November.
Parents interested in applications, entry fee amounts and/or more information should contact the Pageant Director, Dick Gillespie at 334-9556.
We are inviting local businesses to sponsor this event with a $25 tax deductible contribution. This contribution will give each business a place in the official pageant program which will be distributed at the Chenango County Fair the day of the pageant.
As we celebrate this anniversary, we’d like to thank the Chenango County Fair Committee, the contestants over the past 40 years, each of our wonderful Miss Chenango County Teen-agers and all of the local Chenango County businesses for their ongoing support.