Watch Riah Schrage of Grundy County win 2025 Iowa State Fair queen
On Saturday, Aug. 9, Riah Schrage’s girlhood wish to become Iowa State Fair queen came true.
Riah Schrage of Grundy County grew up coming to the Iowa State Fair every year. The shimmering centerpiece of her experience was always watching the fair queen coronation.
“I always remember seeing the fair queen and being like ‘Oh, maybe one day that can be me,’” the Grundy Center native said.
On Saturday, Aug. 9, Schrage’s girlhood wish came true. The 17-year-old was crowned the 2025 Iowa State Fair queen in front of a crowd fair CEO Jeremy Parsons called “bigger and better than ever.” The iconic event drew so many people that latecomers didn’t receive programs.
Cheers erupted from both the crowd and Schrage’s fellow queens as her name rang out. Almost immediately after accepting her crown, Schrage disappeared into a sea of color as the other girls on stage rushed up to hug the fair’s newly appointed monarch.
In addition to being crowned queen, Schrage received a $3,000 scholarship from the Iowa State Fair, along with a trophy, crown, sash, and a Tiffany crown necklace. She also received a $1,000 scholarship from Dawghouse Concessions, a $600 Visa gift card from an anonymous donor and an Iowa State Fair brick from the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.
All the while, there was only one thought in Schrage’s mind: “I’m living the dream,” she said, tears glistening on her cheeks.
Schrage wasn’t the only one feeling the emotion of the night. There was nary a dry eye amongst the 102 county fair queens on stage.
After a week spent in each other’s constant company, the girls had formed bonds with each other that many of them felt certain would last a lifetime, citing plans to meet up later on down the line.
One thing that united all the competitors was their passion for the communities that raised them. Tama County queen Rhianna Murty jokingly referred to the girls as “farm fresh queens,” noting that many of the girls had stepped straight from the farm to the stage.
“Learning how to model walk and like, posing and waving, it’s completely out of a lot of our comfort zones,” said Maci Darr of Warren County. “Owning it and like, having fun is what you should do, because everybody’s in the same boat and we’re all equally embarrassed.”
Own it, they did. The queens were all smiles as they strutted across the stage, each girl’s grin larger than the last.
As the sun went down on the Iowa State Fair, a new queen rose, and a childhood dream came true.
Additional Iowa State Fair queen awards
First runner-up: Ashlynn Gunnerson of O’Brien County
Second runner-up: Annalise Buxton of Union County
Third runner-up: Emery Hawkins of Appanoose County
Personality plus winner: Alexandria Kent of Fayette County
Outstanding leadership: Kelsey Greenslade of Dallas County
Iowa State Fair Queen Alumni Award in honor of Julie Wolterman: Emily Foran of Audobon County
How is a State Fair queen selected?
Judging to choose the queen is based on personality, attitude, awareness, leadership, citizenship, contributions to the community, overall appearance, charm and poise.
The selection process for the State Fair queen can be rigorous. After being crowned at their own respective county fairs, the girls and young women, ages 16 to 21, must submit their resumes and state why they want to be queen to qualify. Many contestants have extensive resumes that include participation in Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. Some are involved in music and the arts, others in sports.
Schrage is the daughter of Landon and Cassie Schrage. A senior, she’s class president at Grundy Center High School. She plans to major in music education and minor in marketing when she heads off to a yet-to-be-determined college.
As the new queen, Schrage will attend events like grape stomping, the beard-measuring contest and 4-H shows. Through this year and next, she’s charged with visiting as many county fairs in Iowa as possible. She’ll also have a presence at next year’s fair before the new queen is chosen.
Reporter Virginia Barreda contributed to this story.
Norah Judson is a reporter for the Register. Reach her at [email protected].