Columbia CountY-Wynter McCauley, Kilee Henry, and Bailey Standring were selected to represent Dayton as Fair Royalty last October. The "job" is so much more than just waving in parades.

The fair's royalty learn life-long lessons throughout the year. Starting early to prepare for the day, always ready to smile for a photo, learn about and work with livestock, and spend time as ambassadors for the Columbia County Fair.

Their duties include assisting at various local events including Brix and Brew, All Wheels Weekend, and hosting a fair court luncheon after the Dayton parade.

Columbia County Fair Royalty participates in Dayton's Christmas Kickoff and holiday parades in College Place, Milton-Freewater, Waitsburg, and Walla Walla during November and December.

In February, the girls met other royalty courts from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho at the "Now You Have the Title" etiquette class. The Dayton Royalty learned about public speaking, fashion and hair, modeling, social media, and other fair court protocols.

Mary Ann Ward has been a Columbia County Fair Board member for 11 years and the Director of Fair Royalty for ten years. Ward said the girls bring unique experiences to the court, and she loves watching them grow out of their comfort zone and into well-spoken representatives for the county fair.

In May, McCauley, Henry, and Standring participated in the Waitsburg Celebration and Dayton Days parades. They will finish their time as hostesses attending the Umatilla County Fair, the Benton-Franklin Fair, Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days, and Dayton Days this summer.

This will be the last year Ward will serve as the director, and she said she has enjoyed working with the royalty courts. The girls have a great sense of humor, states Ward. She recalls with a smile that a hostess said to her one year, "It sure is hard to look pretty all the time."

It is fair to say that the royalty court offers the youthful participants rewarding experiences, personal growth, and memories of their many accomplishments, including mastering the "royal parade wave.".