The Deerfield Fair begins this week.
People come from across the state to enjoy the amusement rides, the livestock shows, and, of course, the food.
But for one young New Hampshire woman, the Deerfield Fair could also be the launch pad to fame and fortune.
New Hampshire Public Radio correspondent Dean Abbott has the story.
(SOUND FROM MISS AMERICA BROADCAST)
CANDACE GLICKMAN WALKED ACROSS A WELL KNOWN STAGE IN ATLANTIC CITY, NJ THIS PAST WEEKEND.
SHE WAS REPRESENTING THE GRANITE STATE IN THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT.
SHE GOT HER START AT THE DEERFIELD FAR.
(SOUNDS OF THE DIRECTOR WALKING MISS DEERFIELD
CONTESTANTS THROUGH THEIR PACES)
BRANDEE FRANCIOSI IS WALKING THIS YEAR?S CONTESTANTS THRU THEIR PACES.
FRANCIOSI IS CO-DIRECTOR OF THE MISS DEERFIELD FAIR PAGEANT.
AABOUT 60 YOUNG WOMEN ARE PARTICIPATING THIS YEAR IN 13 LOCAL PAGEANTS AROUND THE STATE.
THE WINNERS THEN GO ON TO COMPETE FOR THE TITLE OF MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE.
LOCAL TITLES INCLUDE MISS GREATER DERRY, MISS
WINNIPESAUKEE, AND MISS LAKES REGION.
THIS WEEK EIGHT YOUNG WOMEN ARE PLANNING TO COMPETE FOR THE TITLE OF MISS DEERFIELD FAIR.
DIANE EATON HAS CO-DIRECTED THE PAGEANT FOR SOME 30 YEARS?.
SHE SAYS THE PROGRAM HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THAT TIME.
THE FIRST PAGEANT I HAD, ONE OF THEM WASHED WOOLENS, ANOTHER ONE SHOWED US HOW TO IRON AND FOLD CLOTHES, AND THIS IS NOT A TALENT. DEERFIELD FAIR, THAT?S A LARGE FAIR, AND PEOPLE DON?T COME ON FRIDAY NIGHT TO SEE SOMEBODY WASH THEIR WOOLENS.?
THE PAGEANT HAS EVOLVED SINCE THE DAYS WHEN DOING LAUNDRY PASSED FOR TALENT.
IT?S NOW A MAJOR DRAW AT THE ANNUAL FAIR.
?AND NOW ON FRIDAY NIGHT WE PACK A CROWD, WE FILL THE BLEACHERS IN FRONT OF THE GRANDSTAND, SO IT?S TURNED INTO THE BIG FRIDAY NIGHT AFFAIR.?
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM CONTESTANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 17 YEARS OLD, NEVER MARRIED, AND MUST LIVE, WORK FULL TIME OR ATTEND SCHOOL FULL
TIME IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
THE WOMEN COMPETE IN FOUR CATEGORIES, INTERVIEW, SWIM WEAR , TALENT AND EVENING WEAR.
THE INTERVIEW PORTION MAKES UP 50% OF THE CONTESTANTS FINAL SCORE.
THE WINNER RECEIVES $900 IN SCHOLARSHIPS.
AND THAT SAY THE YOUNG PARTICIPANTS IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM THAN ACHIEVING SOME JUDGE?S IDEAL OF PHYSICAL BEAUTY.
NHPR WAS NOT ALLOWED TO USE ANY CONTESTANT?S NAME.
THE ORGANIZERS FEARED ANY EXTRA PUBLICITY MIGHT SWAY THE DEERFIELD PAGEANT?S JUDGES.
BUT ONE CONTESTANT SAYS SHE GOT INTO COMPETING AFTER SHE HAD TROUBLE PAYING FOR SCHOOL.
?I HAD TO TAKE A YEAR OFF OF SCHOOL BECAUSE I COULDN?T AFFORD MY TUITION. I WORKED ALL SUMMER THEN I JUST COULDN?T COME UP WITH THE MONEY. I WANTED TO STAY IN SHAPE AND DANCE AT A LOCAL STUDIO AND THE WOMAN THAT OWNS THE STUDIO I WENT TO HAPPENS TO BE A FORMER MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SHE SUGGESTED THAT I COMPETE IN A PAGEANT.?
AS FOR THE CRITICISM THAT THE WHOLE PAGEANT SYSTEM EXPLOITS WOMEN?.THIS CONTESTANT DOESN?T BUY IT.
?THEY?VE ALWAYS INCLUDED INTERVIEW, THEY?VE ALWAYS INCLUDED TALENT, SO YOU?RE NOT JUST GETTING JUDGED ON YOUR LOOK AND YOUR BODY. IT WAS ALWAYS YOUR ACADEMICS AND YOUR PERSONALITY, EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR BEAUTY. I DEFINITELY DON?T BELIEVE THEY?D BE ANYONE THAT WOULD BE ANYONE WHO WOULD BE LIKE ?OH! WE WANT HER TO BE LIKE A PLAYMATE OR SOMETHING.? THEY WOULDN?T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE WINNERS OF ALL THE LOCAL PAGEANTS GO ON TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE PAGEANT IN APRIL.
THIS YEAR?S MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE, CANDACE
GLICKMAN, WON THE MISS DEERFIELD FAIR TITLE LAST YEAR.
?IT WAS SO MUCH FUN, I GOT TO CLIMB A ROCK WALL. I HAD TO TAKE THE CROWN OFF THOUGH, BECAUSE I HAD TO WEAR A HELMET (LAUGHS). I GOT TO BE THE CALLER FOR THE PIG SCRAMBLE. YOU BASICALLY GO YIIIIIP-YIP-YIP--YIP-EEEE-YIP, COME ON GO GET THOSE PIGGIES. THAT?S EXACTLY WHAT YOU DO. IT WAS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.?
(SOUNDS OF CONTESTANTS PRACTICING TAP DANCE)
THE MISS DEERFIELD FAIR PAGEANT IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS FRIDAY.
UNTIL THEN THE YOUNG WOMEN SEEKING TO WALK AWAY WITH THE CROWN KEEP REHEARSING THEIR TALENTS AND POLISHING THE ANSWERS TO INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.
AND MAYBE THEY?LL HAVE A SHOT AT A TRIP TO ATLANTIC CITY FOR NEXT YEARS MISS AMERICA PAGEANT.
FOR NHPR NEWS, THIS IS DEAN ABBOTT.
