This year marks the 57th Annual Marshall County Blueberry Festival. The theme for this year is “Unifying Our Community Through Appreciation” On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the first official event of the festival, The Miss Blueberry Scholarship Pageant, featuring the “crowning” of the new 2023 Miss Blueberry by Rilynn Ames, 2022 Miss Blueberry as she relinquishes her crown.
A total of 16 young ladies from throughout Marshall County will vie for the crown. The contestants have been busy for weeks leading up to the pageant. Leanne Senter has been busy helping the girls with dance rehearsals, a pizza party/ float decorating, practices on walking and grace, then getting used to a stage on dress rehearsal on Friday evening.
On Saturday, 17th of June, the day of the pageant, the contestants will have a personal interview with the panel of Judges. This interview will count for 40% of their score. This same panel of Judges will evaluate the contestants in Theme Wear during the on-stage portion of the contest in the evening. Each young lady will be wearing what ” Unifying Our Community Through Appreciation” means to them. The contestants will also appear in Formal Wear. Both the Theme Wear and the Formal Wear portions will each count 30% toward their score for the evening.
The 2023 Miss Blueberry will receive a $1250.00 Scholarship, a Crown, Cut Glass Bowl, Blueberry Necklace, and a Portrait. The 1st Runner up will receive a $750.00 Scholarship & a necklace. The 2nd Runner up will receive a $500.00 Scholarship & a necklace. Miss Friendship, chosen by the contestants, will receive a $100 cash award and a necklace. Also, A $100 cash prize for Theme wear will be awarded. The Queen and her Court will represent the festival at several parades throughout the summer as well as various activities during the Festival.
In November, The Queen will represent the Marshall County Blueberry Festival in the Indiana State Festival Queen Pageant In Greenfield, IN. This gives our Blueberry Festival Queen a chance to meet other Queens from other festivals from around the state. And a chance for additional scholarship money.
The pageant will be held at the Argos High School Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 17th, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $5.00, with children 12 and under free. The public is invited and encouraged to come and support all of the contestants as they compete for the 2023 Miss Blueberry crown.
Following is a list of the Queen contestants:
Contestant #1 – Kimberly Luva is the 17-year-old daughter of Maria Martinez and Rafael Luva of Plymouth. She will be a senior at Plymouth High in the fall and will be graduating with the class of 2024. After graduation, she plans to attend college and major in Theater Art. Kimberly has one sibling, Miriam.
Contestant #2 – Gabriella C. Schwenk is the 17-year-old daughter of Kathleen Schwenk and George Schwenk of Plymouth. She is a 2023 graduate of Plymouth High School and will be attending Ball State University in the fall where she will be majoring in psychology. Ella has two siblings, Julian, and Cooper.
Contestant #3 – Kekiana M. Haines is the 18-year-old daughter of Jamie and Elena Wilson of Plymouth. She is a 2023 graduate of Argos High School and will be taking a year off before attending college. She has two siblings, Cody and Cydnie.
Contestant #4 – Hannah Ruth Peacock is the 17-year-old daughter of Jamie Fleury and David Peacock of Plymouth. She will be a senior in the fall, graduating in the spring of 2024 from Plymouth High School. She has three siblings: Doyle, Naomi, and Allena
Contestant #5 – Sydney Lorette Shepherd is the 20-year-old daughter of Natalie Shepherd and Jarvis and Stephanie Shepherd of Argos. She just completed her sophomore year at Indiana University South Bend where she is majoring in Biology and Pre-Med Track. Natalie has two siblings, Sophia and Mekhi.
Contestant #6 – Hannah Renee Long is the 18-year-old daughter of John Long and Alicia Long of Bremen. She is a 2023 graduate of Bremen Senior High School in the fall she will be attending Indiana University South Bend where she plans to major in Medical Imaging.
Contestant #7 – Lillian Katherine Hinderlider is the 17-year-old daughter of Bill and Jill Hinderlider of Plymouth. Lillian will be a senior in the fall, graduating with the class of 2024 from Plymouth High School. She has one sibling, Grace.
Contestant #8 – Cheyenne Noel Hawley is the 17-year-old daughter of Craig and Serena Hawley of Plymouth. She will be a senior at Triton Junior/Senior High School in the fall, graduating with the class of 2024. She has four siblings: Sierra, Savannah, Sabrya, and Soraya.
Contestant # 9 – Lena Houin is the 17-year-old daughter of Tracy Houin of Plymouth. She just completed her junior year at Plymouth High School where she will be a senior in the fall graduating with the class of 2024.
Contestant #10 – Emmalee Rae Hillman is the 17-year-old daughter of James and Roberta Hillman of Culver. She just completed her junior year at Culver Community High School where she will be a senior in the fall and graduating with the class of 2024. She has one sibling, Ava.
Contestant #11 – Ruby Bickel is the 17-year-old daughter of Tammy Awald and Matt Awald of Lakeville. She will be a 2024 graduate of Plymouth High School next spring. She has one sibling, David Mathison.
Contestant #12 – Lydia Elizabeth Hall is the 17-year-old daughter of Jason Hall and Jennifer Hall of Plymouth. She just completed her junior year at Abeka Academy and will be a senior in the fall, graduating in the spring of 2024. She has one sibling, Ethan.
Contestant #13 – Olivia Christine Shively is the 19-year-old daughter of Travis and Amanda Shively of Tippecanoe. She just completed her senior year graduating with the class of 2023 from Triton Jr/Sr High School. She plans to attend Grace College and major in Elementary Education in the fall. She has one sibling, Ethan.
Contestant #14 – Addyson Bell Viers is the 17-year-old daughter of Don and Jamey Baker of Tippecanoe. She will be a senior at Triton Jr/Sr High School in the fall and will graduate with the class of 2024. She has three siblings; Alyxa, Abbey, and Avery.
Contestant #15 – Anna McIntyre is the 18-year-old daughter of Mason and Lindsey McIntyre of Bourbon. She graduated from Triton Jr/Sr High School this spring and will be attending Grace College in the fall majoring in nursing. She has one sibling, Sam.
Contestant #16 – Brooke Lynn Vermillion is the 18-year-old daughter of David and Tara Vermillion of Walkerton. She just completed her senior year at John Glenn High School. She will be attending Indiana University Bloomington in the fall majoring in criminal justice. She has four siblings; Maya, Haley, Shannon, and Nyssa.
The Marshall County Blueberry Festival Board of Directors would like to thank Miss Rilynn Ames, 2022 Miss Blueberry, for the excellent job she has done wearing her “crown”. Rilynn is the 18-year-old daughter of Erin Ames Hundt of Plymouth. She has one sibling Ryen. Rilynn is a senior at Plymouth High School, heading to DePauw University Majoring in Neurology on the premed track.
