Pictured are the runners-up of this years Cutie Pageant alongside the 2021 winners and the 2022 winners. Shown from left are: Amelia Beer, Emery Lovely, Bristal Bower, Harper Vector, Aiyanna Birks, Matteo LaBarbera, Zane Grady, Jensen Lovely, Gavin Jasso and Linkin Dawson. Photo by Cassidy White.

Cassidy White
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — The 76th annual Mermaid Festival Cutie King and Queen Pageant marched into the North Webster Community Center at 7 p.m. , Friday, June 24. With 19 girls and 14 boys all vying for the title of Cutie Queen and King, the pageant gave attendees a glimpse of some of the cutest kids reigning in this county, or having previously reigned.

What started as a large groups of girls and boys was filtered down to four girls and four boys, with all just as excited about the possibility of being crowned and sashed.

The 2022 Cutie King ang Queen, Aiyanna Birks, left, and Matteo LaBarbera. Photo by Cassidy White.

The winners of this years Cutie Pageant were Aiyanna Birks and Matteo LaBarbera.

Runners-Up in the pageant were:

• Third Runner-Up: Bristal Bower, daughter of Joel and Racheal Bower, and Gavin Jasso, son of Nathaniel and Kayla Jasso.
• Second Runner-Up: Amelia Beer, daughter of Jason and Whitney Beer, and Linkin Dawson, son of Will and Meg Dawson.
• First Runner-Up: Emery Lovely, daughter of Adam and Heather Lovely, and Jensen Lovely, son of Adam and Heather Lovely.

Also announced during the pageant were the winners of the cutie parade. The parade was held in North Webster on June 22.

In the motorized division, first place was Ace Richcreek, second Ryker Messer, third Lincoln Granger and fourth Wade Anderson.

In the walking division, first place was John JD Kimmel, second Hadley Granger, third Quinlynn Risedorf and fourth Brycen Hershberger.

In the hand drawn division, first place was Aubrey Granger, second Remington Nabinger, third Bristal Bower and fourth Julia Cotton.

The Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation in North Webster provides $50,000 in scholarships to winners of the various competitions at the festival, including the Cutie Contest and Queen of Lakes competition, which will be held at 7 p.m. tonight, Saturday, June 25, at the North Webster Community Center.