Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Royalty Courts (l-r): Walla Walla - Princess Taylee Smith, Pioneer Posse Queen Mikayla Closejohn, Princesses Brenna Sinkbeil, Kellie Jo Prince, and Temprance Cate. Waitsburg Royalty Princess Kinsley Tinnons, Queen Alexis Jones, and Princesses Keely Harshfield and Kayla Kuykendall. Mission Hills Queen Kylee Yerbich, Princess Allysson Wells, and Walla Walla Queen Ellie Ford.
Queen Alexis Jones, and Princesses Keely Harshfield, Kayla Kuykendall, and Kinsley Tinnons are ready for a busy year.
WAITSBURG - The 2026 Waitsburg Celebration Days Royalty Coronation was held in Waitsburg Town Hall on Saturday, February 21. The new royalty court, Kayla Kuykendall, Alexis Jones, Keely Harshfield, and Kinsley Tinnons, greeted guests as they arrived at the hall.
The members of the court began their journey at try-outs in October 2025. The girls rode their horses, gave speeches, and were interviewed by the judges who scored their performances. Alexis Jones earned the highest score and the honor to serve as the Waitsburg Celebration Days Queen.
Dana Grieb is the royalty advisor for this year's Celebration Days Court. She brings her experience as a 2007 Pendleton Round-Up Princess and as the 2023 and 2024 royalty advisor for the Milton-Freewater Pioneer Posse. Grieb's daughter, Kira Filbrandt, was a Pioneer Posse Princess in 2024 and the Pioneer Posse Queen in 2025.
Filbrandt served as the emcee for the fundraiser, which opened with each girl on Waitsburg's royalty court introducing themselves to the audience. After an invocation by K.C. Kuykendall, the guests enjoyed a delicious tri-tip dinner catered by Bow Sewell.
During the evening, there was active bidding for the many silent auction items, including donations from Waitsburg businesses Gaudy Gals and Nancy's Dream Garden Center. The Waitsburg Royalty members modeled outfits and helped with the dessert live auction, which Larry Hagen conducted.
The coronation began with the announcement of the Waitsburg Celebration Days Princesses Keely Harshfield, Kayla Kuykendall, and Kinsley Tinnons, and Queen Alexis Jones. The girls were escorted to the stage by their parents. Jemma Anderson, a 2025 Waitsburg Celebration Days Princess, placed the sashes on the three princesses and crowned Alexis Jones the 2026 Queen.
With the help of donors, parents, and the evening's 120 to150 guests, around $6,000 was raised for the 2026 Waitsburg Celebrations Day Royalty Court.
"This year's WCD royalty is really motivated to go to as many parades and rodeos as possible in the area. Just a few places they will go: Asotin County Fair, Dayton Days, Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days, Pendleton Round-Up, and Pomeroy Fair & Rodeo," said advisor Dana Grieb.
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