The 2025 Marion County Fair Royalty Contest was held Saturday night at Dyer Hudson Hall.

A large crowd came out to Dyer Hudson to witness the crowning of this year’s fair queen and junior princess. Selected to be the 2025 Fair Queen was Abi Vander Linden of Knoxville, while Kinsley Wooldridge was chosen as the Jr. Princess. At the ceremony Saturday night each queen contestant was asked a question unique to them and then a question that was identical to the other contestants in their category. The winners received their crowns and sashes from last year’s fair queen Marley Larson and Jr. Princess Aliana Pearson. Newly crowned fair queen Abi Vander Linden says being fair queen helps you create lifelong bonds.

“The Marion County Fair isn’t just a place where we show animals and do Dyer Hudson projects, but it’s a place where you build friendships, create new friendships that feel like family and bonds that you will never forget.”

The 2025 Marion County Fair will be held July 11-17th. Hear from Vander Linden and Wooldridge on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.