McCarty wins Miss Congeniality at State Fair pageant

She wanted to give the pageant one shot before she graduated high school, and ended up earning statewide recognition.

Grace McCarty is a longtime 4-H’er who is about to enter her 10th and final year showing pigs at the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair. While showing swine is her favorite aspect of the fair, she said she wanted to enter the county fair’s pageant before it was too late, and was named Miss Johnson County in July for her efforts. With the crown came a chance to represent Johnson County at the Indiana State Fair Queen Pageant, which ran Friday to Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center in Indianapolis.

At the state pageant, McCarty competed with teens representing 81 other counties throughout Indiana. While the Center Grove High School senior didn’t win the state crown, she won the respect of her fellow contestants.

“I was awarded Miss Congeniality. 82 girls voted on who they thought was the most outgoing and kindest and I was just so grateful to win that title,” McCarty said. “It was an honor and a blessing to know that other girls were comfortable around me and I felt the love.”

The pageant consisted of two days of preliminary rounds Friday and Saturday and a final round on Sunday to determine 2023 Miss Indiana State Fair, a title that was awarded to Claire Bishop of Hancock County.

During the three-day competition, a panel of three judges interviewed contestants, who also gave introductory speeches and appeared in a variety of outfits, including blue jeans, a business suit or dress, and formal wear. McCarty’s speech focused on the importance of confidence in young girls, she said.

“The county title definitely taught me to step out of my comfort zone and gain confidence to go for the state fair title,” McCarty said. “I want to inspire a younger generation to know they can do the same thing no matter who they are and what they look like. Anybody can be handed that title, they just have to get started in the county pageant.”

McCarty’s various outfits included bell-bottom jeans, a pink dress and a light blue Cinderella dress, which she said was a hit among the judges. Of the 82 girls who entered the state fair pageant, McCarty finished in the top 16 overall.

Aside from the accolades that came with the competition, McCarty said she enjoyed the experience of staying at the fairgrounds, as she and her fellow contestants stayed at Discovery Hall for two nights.

“Indiana has some amazing people and I thought it would be so awesome to meet people from all over the state and have that experience at the state fair,” she said. “Being around so many girls your age can be super intimidating and I was most definitely nervous, but this opportunity was once in a lifetime and the girls were amazing.”

With McCarty finishing her classes a semester early, she’ll be able to take an academic break before she walks at her high school graduation in June. She hasn’t decided on a college yet, but she knows she wants to study communications or business, inheriting an entrepreneurial spirit from her family’s business, McCarty Mulch and Stone, she said.

“I think it’s in my genes. I love what they do for the community and would love to own my own business one year,” she said.

In the meantime, she isn’t done with pageants just yet. Although she will no longer be able to compete for the county or state fair, she’s looking into competing in various other pageants, McCarty said.

“Hopefully in the next few years I can run for some new titles,” she said.