5 vie for River Fest queen's crown

HURON — It's the most crowded field in recent memory, but only one young lady can officially proclaim herself Huron River Fest queen in 2026. This year's queen's pageant features five candidates: Samantha Chinn, Julia Farrell, Alexis Fortner, Darley Reid and Isabella Smith. People can view the pageant scheduled for 5:30-6 p.m. on Friday at the Huron Boat Basin's main stage. The festival committee provided a brief bio about each candidate: Samantha Chinn Samantha Chinn is going into her junior year at Huron High School. She is involved in cheerleading, track, troubadours, and choral. In her free time, she enjoys putting time into her passion for cosmetology by creating new nail designs and working on unique hairstyles. After graduation, she plans on attending EHOVE Career Center's adult education to study cosmetology with a goal to become an entrepreneur and start her own salon. She is running for the Huron River Fest queen because she wants to represent the town of Huron with a positive, impactful light and show others why they should love the town the way she does herself. Julia Farrell Julia Farrell is going into her junior year at Huron High School. She is involved in football and basketball cheerleading along with school competition cheer. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, spending time with her family, going on walks and doing nails. In the future, she hopes to attend college for nursing. She hopes to have a family, a beach house, travel the world and make a positive impact on others' lives through her job and personality. She is running for the Huron River Fest queen because she is confident that she can represent Huron in the best way possible, expressing her love for the community and bringing everyone together. Alexis Fortner Alexis Fortner is going into her sophomore year at Huron High School. She is involved in cheerleading and enjoys spending her time volunteering at the local food pantry. After graduation, she plans to attend college and pursue a career in physical therapy. She hopes to work with individuals recovering from strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions, helping them regain independence and improve their quality of life. She is running for the Huron River Fest queen because she wants to represent Huron with pride and serve as a positive role model for the community, promoting spirit and encouraging others to get involved. She is excited for the opportunity to grow as a leader and represent Huron with kindness, confidence and community pride. Darley Reid Darley Reid is going into her senior year at Huron High School. She enjoys spending her time dancing, volunteering in her community and making memories with her family and friends. After graduation, she plans on continuing her education and pursuing a career where she can help others and make a difference in the community. Darley believes that kindness, dedication, and a positive attitude can inspire others, and she strives to live by those values each day. She is running for the Huron River Fest queen because she views it as an opportunity to represent the Huron community with pride, integrity and compassion by celebrating the town, supporting local traditions and encouraging others to get involved. She is grateful for the opportunity and excited to help showcase everything that makes Huron such a special place to call home. Isabella Smith Isabella Smith is going into her junior year at Huron High School. She is involved with Young Life through her local church and enjoys reading as well as going to the beach with her friends. After graduation, she plans to attend Bowling Green University to major in education. She hopes to become a teacher and make a positive impact on the lives of future students. She is running for Huron River Fest queen because she would love to represent her school and community to bring people together. She believes she can represent River Fest with kindness, confidence and a positive attitude because each and every day she strives to get involved, meet new people and give back to her community.