The Southwest Washington Fair on Thursday morning announced its finalists for Little Miss Friendly.
The announcement came after 14 candidates had been interviewed on Monday. The 2022 Little Miss Friendly will be announced on the opening day of the fair during a ceremony that begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, on the Saloon Stage. Whoever is selected as Little Miss Friendly will serve as the living logo and official hostess of the fair and will represent the fair at events and parades throughout the year.
“I am very impressed with the quality, kindness and, of course, friendliness exhibited by our Little Miss Friendly. The judges do an amazing job selecting just the right representative for our fair, and I am excited to see which of these incredible young ladies will be our fair’s representative for the 2022-2023 season,” said Connie Riker, director of Lewis County Parks and Recreation.
The five finalists are Gracelyn Briggs, Emma Britton, Ella Hughes, Jaxsyn Lowrey and Finley Swope.
Gracelyn, a 9-year-old from Centralia who attends Fords Prairie School, stated, “I want to be Little Miss Friendly because I want to spread kindness across the county. I would like to help others feel good when they are down and be a good friend to everyone.”
Emma, a 9-year-old from Chehalis who attends Orin Smith Elementary School, said, “I would like to be Little Miss Friendly because I like people and I like making friends.”
Ella, a 9-year-old from Centralia who attends Centralia Christian School, said she “would like to be Little Miss Friendly because I love the fair and all the animals and want to be there every day! I also love being in parades.”
Jasxyn is a 10-year-old from Adna who attends Adna Elementary. In her application, Jasxyn said, “Even though I am only 10 years old, going to the (fair) has always been a highlight and something I look forward to each summer. Over the years, receiving a sticker from Little Miss Friendly was enough to put a smile on my face. Now that I am older, I am excited to have that same opportunity to play a small part of showing others how being kind and friendly can make this world a better place. Sometimes all it takes is a smile and simple ‘hello’ to make someone’s day just a little bit better.”
Finley, an 8-year-old from Centralia who is homeschooled, wrote in her application, “It would be fun meeting new people, attending the fair — since I love the fair so much! Being able to go to events and being in parades in different parts of the county would be exciting. I would love to pass out stickers and help people smile!”
The fair runs Aug. 16-21 at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. For more information, visit https://southwestwashingtonfair.org/.
