For Chloe Bomgardner, 2023 was literally and figuratively an incredible ride.
As the 2023 Pennsylvania State Fair Queen, the 18-year-old Jonestown youth logged over 7,000 miles crisscrossing the commonwealth during her reign to visit a record-setting number of local fairs. That’s the equivalent of crossing the state from the border in New Jersey to Ohio about 14.5 times.
“I traveled over 7,500 miles this past summer from June 11 until, I think, Sept. 28 visiting over 30 fairs,” said Bomgardner, who added there are 107 community and county fairs in Pennsylvania, meaning she visited about one-third of them last year.
Bomgardner believes a state fair queen record was set in 2023 with the number of fairs she visited in that time span.
“I went to 31 or 32 fairs,” said Bomgardner, whose last official event was the recently concluded 2024 Pennsylvania Farm Show. “I was invited to around 36 fairs. Unfortunately, due to weather or other circumstances, I was not able to attend all 36. But last year, I believe the 2022 fair queen, Anna Haldeman, visited 23 fairs. So I feel like the numbers are jumping every year, which is great. I think I had over a thousand miles more than she had this past year.”
Read More: Lebanon County’s Chloe Bomgardner crowned 2023 PA State Fair Queen
She said a highlight was making new friends on the fair trail while renewing old acquaintances.
“Well, that is really hard to answer. But I would say a highlight of the year was definitely reconnecting with friends across the state,” said Bomgardner. “I have quite a few friends in the western side of the state, and I’m from the east, obviously. So it’s been fun.”
Those friendships had been created when she was involved in other ag-related endeavors.
“Knowing people on the state level through FFA and 4-H events and then going to their fairs and reconnecting with them for the day has definitely been the most special part of this,” added Bomgardner.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show was the largest – and last – event Bomgardner attended in her role as the state fair queen. She told LebTown on the first day of the statewide extravaganza that the end of her reign would be a bittersweet moment.
“So it is coming very, very quickly, but it is bittersweet as it’s been a long year and I’ve gotten to do so much,” said Bomgardner. “As the year comes to a close and I know that events are dwindling down and we just have Farm Show left, I am ready to give the crown to the next girl.”
Bomgardner added that the 2024 state fair queen will be a great representative to the time-honored tradition of local fairs that celebrate agriculture, rural life and those families who put food on our table.
“I know personally a few of the fair queens that are running and they’re so ready to represent their home fairs and on the state level,” she said, “and I know whoever’s picked next will do such a great job.”
Being at the week-long farm show seems an appropriate way to end her run as state fair queen. It was, after all, a whirlwind week with so many events on the queen’s schedule.
She gave a speech prior to helping to award the top five prizes in the cake and pie competitions. She attended a banquet and the opening ceremonies where she had the opportunity to listen to sister Crystal speak as FFA president. Chloe also presided over several livestock judging competitions and the livestock Sale of Champions.
Read more: Lebanon County well ‘connected’ at Pennsylvania Farm Show this year
She was a guest rider for the tractor square dancing competition but it was another event – the Celebrity Feed Scurry Race – that stood out for her.
“There is a small obstacle course and you drive the draft horses through an obstacle course of cones,” said Bomgardner. “A mucker is on the back and that person fills the wagon with bales of hay and then you drive on. I got to drive one of the teams of horses as one of the 32 celebrities in the event. I finished in 14th place, so I was middle of the pack. It was definitely the most fun event at the Farm Show so far.”
Although Bomgardner’s reign will officially end on Jan. 20 when she turns over the crown to the next queen at the pageant at the Hershey Lodge, she has no plans to slow down her schedule in 2024. In fact, she has two options as part of her plans come June.
“As you know my older sister is the state FFA president and I was one year behind her in school so I graduated early at 17. I took a gap year due to being fair queen and right now I got accepted into Oklahoma State University for large animal science with a pre-vet major,” said Bomgardner, who would one day like to be a large animal veterinarian practitioner since there is a need for them.
“So I can either do that in June or I could run for state FFA officer so at the moment the two options are definitely up in the air and I tell people we’ll figure that out in June,” said Bomgardner. “I mean, I know my answer but there’s two different big options and I haven’t completely committed to it.”
LebTown asked if they could have the scoop on what her decision was since she already knows her decision.
“I mean, if you want me to say it I can,” she said. “I plan on running for state FFA office but if not then I’ll definitely go to Oklahoma State. So, yeah, I’ll be running for that in June. Yes, everyone does say college will always be there.”
Bomgardner also has more immediate plans to fulfill prior to her June decision.
“I will be working, saving up for either college or state (FFA) office, and just prepping my show animals for the (Lebanon County) fair,” she said. “I work at a local animal hospital (Apple Creek Veterinary Hospital), so it keeps me pretty busy.”
As the second-ever state fair queen from Lebanon County, Bomgardner had a bit of advice for local girls looking to one day run themselves.
“I would definitely know why you’re running,” said Bomgardner. “Don’t just go so that you get the state title because there are some girls that will do that and I feel the judges really want the girl who’s passionate about their fair, their county and communities. Reaching the agriculture community is really the biggest thing that us fair queens do.”
Bomgardner noted that running for the state fair queen title is worthwhile.
“Being the state fair queen is definitely a really good experience for girls,” she said. “It opens a world of opportunities as far as connections and networking across the state. It is hard work being the Pennsylvania State Fair Queen with a lot of duties and responsibilities. But it’s a really good opportunity to do and I would definitely recommend it for girls in Lebanon County.”
Here are a few photos from Bomgardner’s 2023 reign as fair queen:
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