By David Slone
Times-Union

NORTH WEBSTER — Zaylee Guy, first runner-up in 2025, was crowned Queen of the Lakes for 2026 during the 80th Mermaid Festival pageant Saturday night at the North Webster Community Center.

“I’m honestly so shocked and forever grateful for this town and the ability to go on stage and just shine. To Him be the glory. I’m in awe,” she said after the coronation.

Having grown up in North Webster, she’s done the Mermaid Festival Cutie Parade and Pageant, but never did a pageant until she started doing the Queen of the Lakes pageant.

“This is my fourth year doing the Queen of Lakes pageant, and so this is the only pageant I’ve done, and I got first runner-up last year, which was a huge blessing and then to win this year is even more — and so I’m so excited to serve as the 2026 Queen of the Lakes,” Guy stated.

She competed as Miss Sechrist Lake. Her sponsor was the North Webster Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce. She is the daughter of Ben and Elise Guy.

She said to honor her hometown and the history is really special. Both her parents grew up in North Webster, as is the entire Guy family.

The Queen of the Lakes pageant is annually sponsored by the North Webster Lions Club and Shoop Sports & Youth Foundation Inc. Scholarships for the queen and her court are provided by Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation Inc.

“The legacy that Shoop has left with all the scholarships - that’s paving the way so I can go to Taylor University, and just the way I’m able to get a scholarship and benefit from that is just amazing,” Guy said.

The Queen of the Lakes receives a $2,000 scholarship; first runner-up, $1,500; second runner-up, $1,000; and third runner-up, $500.

Guy’s court includes first runner-up Gwendolyn Frank, second runner-up Julia Stover and third runner-up Kierah Klepper.

Gwendolyn, the daughter of Chris and Rhonda Frank, North Webster, competed as Miss Center Lake. Her sponsor was Clayton’s Garden Center.

Julia, the daughter of Chelsea Stover, North Webster, competed as Miss Shoe Lake and her sponsor was Bayview Appraisals.

Kierah, the daughter of Rynell Klepper, Huntington, competed as Miss Irish Lake and her sponsor was Kissinger Surveying.
The North Webster Lions Club, which presents the pageant, believes in service to the community. They established an award to honor the contestants with strong dedication to giving of themselves to help others.

The 2026 North Webster Lady Lions Service Award went to Janna Teusch, Huntington. She received $100 cash. Competing as Miss Kuhn Lake, her sponsor was Jill & Jennifer’s Salon of Style and her parents are David and Kristine Teusch.

The Miss Congeniality Award was voted on by all the contestants as the girl who is the most considerate and friendly and willing to help others. This year’s Miss Congeniality was Teusch. She will receive another $100.

Scholarship winnings for parade participation are third place, $250; second place, $500; and first place, $750. The winners this year were Scarlett Hardy, third; Nora McDaniel, second; and Aowyn Fuller, first.

Scarlett, the daughter of Scott and Amber Hardy, North Webster, competed as Miss Chapman Lake. Her sponsor was Skoops Ice Cream Shop.

Nora, the daughter of Aaron and Tara McDaniel, Warren, competed as Miss Long Lake. Her sponsor was Hartley Builders.

Aowyn, the daughter of Jonathan and Ryea Fuller, North Webster, competed as Miss Tippecanoe Lake. Her sponsor was Gloss House.

“I think there is a sisterhood to pageants, and there’s a lot of people that I didn’t know doing this in starting, but Chloe Bolinger is not from here, but me and her have made a huge connection and we’ve been hanging out outside of this pageant, and so the friendships that you’re creating outside of just the girls that compete that are from here, she’s from Whitley County, and so all these different girls are coming together to compete and so I think there is a sisterhood and it’s just overall enjoyable to be in a room full of beautiful and young ladies that also want to compete but also are super kind,” Guy explained.

There were 17 young ladies who competed this year for the title of Queen of the Lakes.

As explained by Corynn Barton, the 2021 Queen of the Lakes who served as emcee of the pageant again this year, “To earn the title, each girl takes part in four events related to the contest, including personality, parade, theme wear, and evening gown. The interview portion of the event was done this morning, with each girl spending time with the judges in panel-style interviews. This process provides an assessment of the contestants’ ability to communicate.”

Each contestant was required to participate in the parade, which took place at 4 p.m. Saturday down Main Street in North Webster. Their imagination was their only limit, Barton said.

“The theme this year is the ’80s. It was interesting to see the individual tastes and theme wear this year. Thinking outside the box was highly encouraged,” Barton said. “The evening gown competition brings an elegant touch to the queen’s pageant activities. The evening gowns are always the highlight of the event. Each young lady has their own unique presence shown and diversity of formal gowns selected by the contestants.”

Following the personality, theme wear, and evening gown competition, the field was narrowed down to four contestants. The final step of becoming the Queen of the Lakes or a member of the queen’s court is the final question. Each of the four finalists is asked the same question individually without the knowledge of the other contestants’ answers.

The final question was, “What do you hope people will still love about the Mermaid Festival 80 years from now?”

Guy’s response was, “Something that I hope that in 80 years, people will enjoy about the Mermaid Festival is the community aspect. I have grown up in North Webster my whole life, and I’ve done the Cutie Pageant and the Cutie Parade, and I think that seeing the community come together and see a lot of people work hard on their floats, just to bring joy to the people that come and watch, but also for the judges, I think, is really important.

So I just hope that in 80 years that everybody comes together still, sees the bright lights and the bright cheer and the community’s in unity with that.”

While scores were tabulated, 2025 Queen of the Lakes Ava Weldy gave her final walk and farewell address.

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