A beautiful thing! Rebirth of fair also features rebirth of Miss Rochester Fair Pageant

From left, Lexi Taylor, Stacia Brochu, Jaime Hebert, and Adrienne Hebert. (Shea Taylor photo)

ROCHESTER - Not only is the Rochester Fair making a grand comeback next month. The Rochester Fair Pageant, formerly a longtime staple of the venerable fair, is coming back as well, thanks to the efforts of two Rochester moms and their teenage daughters.

The four have teamed up to form the Rochester Fair Pageant Committee, each having a role to create a friendly and fun pageant for each Miss Rochester Fair contestant.

Stacia Brochu and Jaime Hebert thought of re-creating the pageant for the Rochester Fair two years ago, so when they heard the fair was being resurrected after a one-year hiatus, the mom and daughter duos thought "Why not?"

"When I was a child I can remember going to the Rochester Fairgrounds with my family and how excited I would be to watch the Rochester Fair Pageant," said Stacia Brochu, the mother of Lexi Taylor who has been in several beauty pageants of late. "I believe that the Rochester Fair Pageant should be inspiring for all who is involved."

Also on the committee is Jaime Hebert's daughter, Adrienne, who thinks the pageant can help to bring Rochester together in a positive way.

"I think the Miss Rochester Fair Pageant is a good way to help build community and help young girls with confidence," she said on Wednesday. "I'm very excited to have the opportunity of working with everybody."

They four put their ideas down on paper and presented them to Rochester Fair officials, who three days ago gave the project a green light

With the moms working on the pageant details, the daughters, Lexi Taylor and Adrienne Hebert, both juniors at Spaulding High School, anticipate working with all of the Rochester Fair Pageant contestants on stage with the opening number and helping the contestants with their walk for evening wear.

Pageant organizers say they have had an outpouring of support from the community with donations, help, and offers to volunteer their time as judges. Benjamin Stanley, a junior at Spaulding High School, has offered to assist with sound/tech.

Many of the volunteers share a love for pageantry and a goal to make a positive impact in their community. They believe in giving the Rochester Fair a fresh makeover, and creating a positive future for Rochester youth.

They hope the Rochester Fair Pageant grows into a successful pageant and can become a permanent fixture for the fair.

Taylor, who recently finished first runner-up in a Florida beauty pageant and has participated in several others, said she's thrilled to not only be helping to organize the pageant, but also that she gets to work on it with her mom.

"I'm very excited about having this opportunity to work beside my mom on something we are both passionate about," Taylor said. "We want to inspire others and make a positive impact within the Rochester community. We are excited about meeting all of the girls on pageant day, and my advice to them would be to stay calm, be yourself and have fun."

Jaime Hebert shares in their enthusiasm.

"I'm very excited about the Rochester Fair Pageant and hope it will create a positive environment within the fair and in the surrounding community," she said.

The Rochester Fair Pageant is open to those who reside and/or attend school in Strafford County. The pageant will have three divisions: Teen Miss (ages 13-17), Jr. Miss (ages 9-12) and Lil' Miss (ages 5-8). The Teen Miss Rochester Fair Pageant is set for Sept. 7 at 8 p.m., while the Jr./Lil' Miss Pageant is set for Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.

Both pageants will consist of an interview, talent/modeling and evening wear and an optional "Photogenic" competition.

Whoever is crowned Teen Miss Rochester Fair 2018 will participate

in the opening number and assist with the crowning of the Jr. Miss/Lil' Miss Rochester Pageant. All three division title holders will have the opportunity to be involved with various events in the Rochester community, one being the Rochester Christmas Parade.

For more information go to the Rochester Fair website, rochesterfair.com to connect to a Public Facebook page. There is a link on the Rochester Fair website where you'll find contact information, pageant forms, and PayPal information for the $20 registration fee.
The deadline to submit the registration form is Sept. 5. The Miss Rochester Fair Pageant Committee appreciates all donations or sponsors big and small. All donations will be applied toward the Miss Rochester Fair Pageant 2018 supplies.