2016 Queen of Lakes, Kierstin Bailey, and three runners-up behind her (left to right), Hannah Parker, Ashley Sayler and Audie Parsons.

NORTH WEBSTER — The 2016 Mermaid Festival Beauty Pageant concluded Saturday, June 25. The contestants displayed their beauty and shared their talents and hobbies to compete for the 2016 Queen of Lakes title.

Seventeen ladies, aged 17 through 23, participated in the pageant. Each lady was known by the name of an area lake.

To compete in the beauty pageant, the ladies had to be sponsored by an organization. The competition was made up of four parts.

The ladies were judged for their personality in a personal interview. Later, they were able to score points by their appearance at the main parade that took place at 4 p.m. on Main Street of North Webster.

During the pageant at 7 p.m., the panel of judges observed the ladies’ modeling skills when they presented their evening gowns on stage at the North Webster Community Center.

Final four girls were selected and asked a question: If you can meet anyone from history, who would it be and why?

The four finalists were Ashley Slayer (Miss Center Lake), Audie Parsons (Miss Webster Lake), Hannah Parker (Miss Hoffman Lake) and Kierstin Bailey (Miss Little Tippy Lake).

Kierstin Bailey was selected as the 2016 Queen of Lakes. She was given $2,000 towards a scholarship. Her response to the final question was “Amelia Earhart.”

Parson’s’s answer to the final question was “Ronald Reagan,” Parker’s answer was “Abigail Adams” and Slayer’s answer was “Rosa Parks.”

Beauty Pageant winners of the parade were Kalin Meikle (Miss Syracuse), Audie Parsons (Miss Webster Lake) and Abigail Schmucker (Miss Sechrist Lake). Meikle received $250, Parsons received $500 and Schmucker received $750.

The Miss Congeniality title, which was voted on by the contestants, was given to Audie Parsons. Parsons also won the The Lady Lions Club Service Award of $100 for her involvement in community service.

The People’s Choice Theme Wear award was decided by the audience who put money into one of the ladies’ boxes to make their choice. The winner of this award was Abigail Schmucker who received half of the money given by the audience. The other half of the money went to the Lady Lions Club.