PARIS—From the small-town charm of Paris, Ill., to the grand stage of the Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Pageant in Springfield, Aubrey Lawson has embraced a journey defined by personal growth, community connection and unwavering dedication.
While serving as Miss Edgar County, Lawson represents more than just a title—she embodies the heart and spirit of her community.
“I've lived here since I was about three years old. I spent every year going to the fair, participating in 4H and I just really loved the atmosphere,” she said. “As a kid, I always looked up to the fair queens; how you look up to a big sister or any role models in your life. They were huge role models for me. I always thought they were so cool.
“I was actually at Joe's Pizza, and Teresa Twigg asked me if I had ever thought about competing. Even though I loved the idea of it, I had never actually thought about it until she mentioned it to me,” Lawson explained. “Then I got in touch with Tracy, and we went over what being Miss Edgar County means, and I just fell in love with the idea of having that position where I can serve my community and get to know my town even better than I already do.”
Winning the title of Miss Edgar County has brought Lawson closer to her. Through her role, she has gained a deeper appreciation for the hard work and dedication that fuel rural communities.
“My life has changed in the way that I feel such a closeness to my community that I didn't feel before. Paris and Edgar County is a small community, but just having that role brought me even closer to it—I just feel like everyone's my family,” she said. “(Being queen) means representing my neighbors, my family, myself and the Fair Board. It means representing small-town businesses. It means representing small-town family farmers and agriculture, and then, of course, county fairs as a whole.”
For Lawson, being Miss Edgar County means being an ambassador for the values her community holds dear. Whether she's attending events, engaging with local businesses or interacting with farmers, she takes every opportunity to showcase the pride and resilience of Edgar County.
“One big thing I've been doing, personally, is reaching out and connecting to family farmers. I have a few regulars that come through the coffee shop I work at that are family farmers, and I've made sure to connect with them and ask them how they want to be represented,” she said. “Queen Caroline's dad gave me a whole rundown of what the whole farming process is, how people in small-town agriculture are struggling, how they need to be represented and what challenges they're facing so that I'm more aware of the agriculture side of my community. That has honestly been one of my favorite parts of the whole process.”
While reflecting on her pageant experience, Lawson’s most cherished memories are the practices with fellow contestants and former queens. The moments created a sense of sisterhood that Lawson will carry with her for years to come.
“The practices were probably the most memorable for me because I grew close with the other contestants. I also got to grow close with the previous queens. All of the previous Queens used to come and help with mock interviews,” she said. “They would give us tips and tricks on how to walk and wardrobe advice. It's almost like a sorority, being a Miss Edgar County Fair Queen. You are adopted into this family of amazing women that I look up to in so many ways.”
The journey wasn’t without its challenges, however. Overcoming self-confidence issues and mastering the art of walking in heels were significant hurdles for the young queen.
“It's hard to get up in front of the whole fairgrounds and say a speech or walk in high heels. There were simple issues, but then there are also bigger challenges that I faced. Like am I good enough for this role? Can I serve my community to the best of my ability? But all of those were conquered,” Lawson said. “A lot of people helped me build self-confidence so that I can have the confidence to serve my community.”
As Lawson gears up for the upcoming state pageant, slated for Jan. 16-19, she is engaging in a whirlwind of mock interviews, community events and wardrobe preparations. Her royal blue dress will symbolize her confidence and poise as she takes the stage.
“We had County Fair Days, where all of us queens met together. We got to know all the other contestants. We had a central zone meeting where we had mock interviews. The fair board and board members all met and had our meeting,” she said. “Lots of mock interviews, lots of meetings with other queens recently and just going over the speech with Tracy and Jessica. Then obviously there's the wardrobe—that's been a whole hassle in itself.”
Beyond aesthetics, she cherishes the opportunity to highlight the resilience of small-town agriculture and inspire others through her platform of personal responsibility.
“A big thing I stand on and take with me everywhere I go is personal responsibility. I think, in small communities, every big change starts with an individual, then it grows with a home, a community, your country and then becomes universal. Just by being one individual, like being Miss Edgar County, you can inspire so many people within your small circle and then it can go on to inspire the whole state and the nation,” she said.
“That's just one thing I've been keeping in mind while prepping for this whole pageant. Although you can write it off as just a pageant, it is something really important to your fair, your community and the world,” Lawson added.
According to Lawson, her journey as queen has been fueled by the encouragement of past queens, her family and multiple mentors, including her mom, who has been “a total rock for me to go to with any of my questions.”
“All of the (previous) queens are the most amazing women I have met, and all of them have been so helpful throughout this whole process. I've made a personal connection with each member of the Fair Board and they've been sure to let me know that they're cheering me on, support me and have my back,” she said. “Queen Kelsie and Caroline have been super helpful with all my questions. And Teresa—I've reached out to her probably a million times just to ask which nails I should wear, or a deeper question like, ‘For this community event, how do I go about serving people to the best of my ability?’”
For aspiring contestants, Lawson offers simple yet powerful advice.
“Just go for it. I think a lot of people think of pageant stereotypes before they see what goes into the pageant process. It's not all about your dress and your clothes and what you look like in a swimsuit,” she said. “Tracy told me, ‘I tell my judges you don't look at the clothes because I'm in charge of that after they win. You look at the girl because her heart matters, her communication skills matter and her skill set. That's what matters.’ I think that pageantry is something that people are anxious to put themselves out there because they see the stereotypes instead of what it really is. It's not about the wardrobe, it's not about the makeup, it's not about the hair, it's about the person.”
As the state pageant approaches, Lawson is ready to showcase her dedication to community service and her love for her town. With a dress and a heart full of hope, she’s prepared to take the stage and represent Edgar County with pride. Whatever the outcome, Lawson’s journey as Miss Edgar County has already left a lasting impression on her and her community—a true testament to the power of perseverance, passion and pride in one’s roots.
“If I look back to who I was when I signed up for the pageant and who I am now, my awareness of my community has grown so extensively, I really don't feel like the same person that I was when I started out the pageant process,” Lawson said. “Pageants make you so self-aware, but they also make you realize how much bigger everything is than yourself. It made me realize that everything going on in my community is so much bigger than me and I can play a vital role by being involved and caring for other people.”