2022 canal royalty crowned at Apple Butter Stirrin’
Canal Queen Raina Kesterson is being crowned by 2021 Queen Aliyah Williamson while 2021 Princess Audrey Tubbs holds her gifts. (Jen Jones)
The beautiful evening was the perfect back drop for the crowning of the new canal queen and princess at the Roscoe Apple Butter Stirrin’ on Saturday, evening Oct. 22. Three young ladies vied for the queen title, while four competed for the princess crown.
2021 Princess Audrey Tubbs sang a song she made up to say thank you and good bye as last year’s princess. Her song made the outgoing queen Aliah Williamson cry as she said her good bye speech. She commented that she had just planned to read her letter that had been published in the Beacon, but she couldn’t read it through her tears, so she was just going to “wing it.”
After each contestant did their monologues about their dresses and a day in the life of someone their age in the canal era, the three judges made the very difficult decision on who would wear the crown. Once the scores were added, a tie was discovered between princess candidates, so the judges were asked to score each young lady from one to four. Those totals again showed a tie. Each princess candidate was asked to step to the center of the stage and share why she wanted to be the canal princess.
Those speeches broke the tie. The 2022 canal princess is Zylee Stanton, 12-year-old daughter of Shane and Shanna Stanton. Her court is: First Attendant Kenzie Roach, Second Attendant Ella Lawson and Third Attendant Jamie Ridenbaugh.
Stanton said she was “very excited, really shocked. I didn’t expect to win” after learning she was the new princess. “On stage, I was shaking so much, but talking to the other girls helped me calm down. Memorizing my speech was the hardest thing.” She said she is looking forward to going to parades and meeting new friends. “This was really fun and a great experience.”
Raina Kesterson, daughter of Brandy Burchett and Chris Kesterson, was named the 2022 Canal Queen. Torianna Wine is her First Attendant and Zoe Hardesty is her Second Attendant.
Kesterson said she was “on top of the world” after being crowned the new canal queen. “I was hoping. I can’t wait to start going to different places around Ohio. I like history and want to see all the history around the state. I’m excited to meet new people and form new relationships.”
The new queen said she was pretty nervous about memorizing her speech. “I packed as much history in as I could. History is my comfort zone. I can’t wait to represent Roscoe Village. I love little kids and I can’t wait to be a role model for them.”
Several special awards were handed out during the competition. Essays were judged by local teachers who shared they learned something from each essay they read. For the princess competition, essay winners were: First Place Kenzie Roach, Second Place Zylee Stanton and Third Place Jamie Ridenbaugh. For the queen competition, the winners were: First Place Raina Kesterson, Second Place Torianna Wine and Third Place Zoe Hardesty.
The candidates’ costumes were judged by a local seamstress. The princess costume winners were: First Place Kenzie Roach, Second Place Zylee Stanton and Third Place Jamie Ridenbaugh. The queen costume winners were: First Place Raina Kesterson, Second Place Torianna Wine and Third Place Zoe Hardesty.
Two spirit awards were handed out. The spirit awards are chosen by the other candidates. All of the young ladies vote for one queen contestant and one princess. The queen spirit award winner was Raina Kesterson and the princess award went to Ella Lawson.
Earlier in the day, the competition for junior queen was held. The 2022 canal junior queen is Oona Lawson. Her court is First Attendant Piper Archer and Second Attendant Billie Lynne Sheets. Lawson said she is very excited and that she was “kinda, but kinda not” nervous about the competition. She got her crown from her sister and wanted to be in the competition because she “seen princesses in parade and saw my sister do it and it looked fun.”
Category: People & Places
