Krista Phillips of Effingham County was selected on Sunday evening as the 68th Miss Illinois County Fair Queen and will represent throughout the 2026 Illinois State Fair season. Phillips was chosen from a field of 75 contestants during the final day of the 115th Annual Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield.

Phillips, 21, is a resident of Effingham and will graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May 2026 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Marketing. She plans to return to the Effingham area following graduation with the goal of opening a small business and remaining active in her community. As Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Phillips will serve as a summer employee of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, travel to approximately 30 county fairs across the state, and act as the official hostess for both the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair.

The win is part of a long pageant journey for Phillips, who previously competed twice at the Effingham County Fair pageant and finished as first runner-up both times. She also followed in the footsteps of her two older sisters, who were past Effingham County Fair queens and state-level competitors. Phillips’ background in agriculture and fair participation includes hands-on experience on her family’s farm, along with involvement in county fair activities over several years.

Riley McDermott of Monroe County was named first runner-up, followed by Bella Evans of Morgan County as second runner-up, Ruby Mulvaney of Ogle County as third runner-up, and Laney York of White County as fourth runner-up. Contestants were evaluated throughout the weekend on communication skills, stage presence, and overall presentation.

The top 16 finalists also included representatives Lydia Repscher from Christian County, Allison Worman of Shelby County, and Kadence Smith for the Pana Tri-County Fair.