HIAWASSEE – Under the lights of Anderson Music Hall on Monday, Aug. 17, five young women stepped onto the stage not simply competing for a crown, but representing the communities, traditions and small-town spirit that make the North Georgia Mountains home.
The annual Miss Georgia Mountain Fair Pageant, held as part of the 76th Georgia Mountain Fair, brought together contestants Madison Sullivan of Clay County, North Carolina; Laura Mauldin of Towns County; Summer Anderson of Union County; Bee Pickelsimer of Union County; and Josie Poston of Towns County.
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When final awards were announced, Sullivan was named first runner-up, while Mauldin received second runner-up. Then, Poston was crowned Miss Georgia Mountain Fair 2026 by Kenlee Shook, the 2025 Miss Georgia Mountain Fair.
Winners were presented their awards and flowers by special guest Jr. Princesses: Kennedy Carter, Miss Georgia, and Adaline Turpin, America’s Ideal Miss Peach State.
Pickelsimer was the only contestant to present a talent during the competition, performing an original work of poetry. Her performance earned her the Talent Award for the night.
The evening also recognized qualities beyond traditional pageant categories. On top of winning Queen, Poston received the Miss Congeniality Award, chosen by her fellow contestants for being the friendliest and most supportive contestant. Then, Pickelsimer received the “Love of the Crown” Award.
“The Love of the Crown is an award that we’re giving away because someone in this group of beautiful young women has inspired us to step up, take leaps of faith and do more in their life and more in their community,” said Pageant Host Jenniffer Holloway.
For Pageant Director Corrina Luckenbach, the pageant is ultimately less about who walks away with the crown and more about what each contestant takes away from the experience.
“It’s a good opportunity for girls in the community to get out there, push their comfort zones a little bit and really, not necessarily promote beauty, but promote one’s character and sense of self,” Luckenbach said. “That’s what we promote: individuality. The interview is a really big part of our pageant, not just the stage presence.”
The competition is open to women ages 17 to 24 from Towns, Union, Rabun, White, Habersham, Stephens, Lumpkin and Fannin counties in Georgia, as well as Clay and Cherokee counties in North Carolina. This year’s contestants represented Towns, Union and Clay counties.
Before taking the stage, contestants participated in a personal interview. During Monday night’s competition, they were judged in Active Wear, Evening Gown, Stage Questions and Overall Presentation.
While there were winners and runners-up, each contestant left with something of her own – whether it was greater confidence, new friendships, a willingness to step outside her comfort zone or simply the experience of standing in front of a crowd and being herself.
“I think (this pageant) means community,” Luckenbach said, herself a past winner of Miss Georgia Mountain Fair. “It’s an opportunity for girls from surrounding counties to get together and find community in something they’re not necessarily comfortable in.
“So, you find community amongst the girls, but then you also find community once you’re here. Say you go on to win; you can come back to the fair and you can participate in concerts, you participate in all the festivals that we have. You get to know people, and the fairgrounds really is a family, and you get adopted.”
That sense of belonging is familiar to Kenlee Shook, as she spent the past year representing the fair and its community. She likened serving as Miss Georgia Mountain Fair to being an extra set of hands, helping make the events and activities at the fairgrounds run more smoothly.
“I didn’t realize how much I would have missed the small-town living, getting to see everybody, making connections and getting to just hear everybody’s stories,” Shook said. “I think that’s something that we lose focus on in the busy day-to-day life: that everybody has their own life that they’ve lived, and getting to meet people and hear about when they grew up here or what brought them to the area if they aren’t local.
“Just getting to serve the community that has served me and has watched me growing up and supported me in all my endeavors – getting to give back to them has been a blessing.”
The winner of the 2026 Miss Georgia Mountain Fair Pageant received $1,500 and merchandise prizes, while first and second runners-up received $300 and $200, respectively.
But the evening offered a prize that could not be measured in dollars or crowns: an opportunity for five young women to step into the spotlight, carry the pride of their mountain communities and discover more about themselves along the way.
