TOPSFIELD — Hamilton's Krista McLellan was crowned Mrs. Essex County 2010 yesterday at the Topsfield Fair, emerging victorious from a diverse field of 13 women from across the North Shore.
Wives, mothers, and in once case, a mother and her daughter, were vying not only for the tiara, sash, bouquet of roses and $250 grand prize, but a chance to become an ambassador for the fair during its 39th Mrs. Essex County pageant.
McLellan, 46, an oncology nurse at the Lahey Clinic in Peabody, is married to Bob McLellan, a surgeon at Lahey, with whom she has two sons, David, 16, and Jimmy, 15. Both boys attend St. John's Prep in Danvers and play football, she said.
During the afternoon pageant in Coolidge Hall, the women were judged for their general appearance, poise, personality and recipe score, with the only qualifications being they were at least 18, were married and lived in Essex County. One contestant, Denise Talley of Rowley, was introduced as a newlywed of a few weeks. Another, Gina Fawcett of Beverly, was married at the fairgrounds a year ago today.
They were also judged on how they answered a question regarding the fair's theme "Go Green With Us," and about how they planned to make their families go green, too.
As Mrs. Essex County, McLellan will represent the fair at events, parades and speaking engagements, and she becomes its official hostess next year.
She will also introduce performers, something Mrs. Essex County 2009 LuAnn Bonanno of Methuen said she had fun with Saturday night in the Arena.
"If you told me a year ago I would have stood in front of 3,000 people and introduced LeAnn Rimes, I would have said: 'Are you nuts?'" Bonanno said just before she handed off her crown to McLellan.
"You are in for the most amazing week of your life," Bonanno said about the experience of representing the fair. "Just wear comfortable shoes and rain boots."
McLellan appeared to have the agricultural side of the fair down pat.
She's an avid knitter and pheasant hunter. Her pheasant pie won a blue ribbon at the fair last year, and this year, her recipe for sticky toffee won first place in the pageant's culinary arts contest.
"I hope to get youth more involved in the tradition of the fair," she said after the pageant.
McLellan also won an award in memory of Beth Geddes, Mrs. Essex County 1994, who was in remission from breast cancer when she won in October, but by July, had died from the disease.
"My rewards come every day from dealing with cancer patients with multiple needs," McLellan said.
Karen Repucci of Topsfield became this year's first runner up, and Ipswich residents may know her as that town's assistant town accountant.
"It was very exciting," Repucci said. "I had a great time. I met a lot of nice women. I can't want for next year."
Danvers' Sheryl James took the Mrs. Congeniality award and was second runner up. Danvers residents may know her as a long-time, dedicated volunteer for the Danvers Family Festival, of which she's the coming year's chairwoman.
Each year, the pageant is a family affair, and this year was no exception.
Contestant Mary Clare Dalzell of Rowley was contestant No. 11 while her mom, Connie Condon of Gloucester, was contestant No. 13. In addition, Dalzell's son, Lee, 8, was crowned last week as the fair's Junior King.
The fair's Junior Queen was Meaghan Shea, 5, of Salisbury. She is notable because her mother, Barbara Shea, was named Mrs. Essex County in 1994 after Geddes died. The elder Shea introduced some of the awards yesterday. For the record, Meaghan has a twin sister, Kerrin, and she was picked this year as Queen of Seabrook's Old Home Days.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or by e-mail at eforman@salemnews.com.
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