2013 Wee Pops Crowned

Runner-up Ryun Eager, 2013 Miss Wee Pop Aaliyah Freeman, Mr. Wee Pop Layne Gilbert Curry, and Runner-up Kytanna Clark.

Layne Gilbert Curry and Aaliyah Freeman were named Mr. and Miss Wee Pop 2013 during competition held Saturday morning at Marion Harding High School.

Curry is the 3-year-old son of Craig and Marianne Curry of Galena.  He won his division in Costume, Swimwear, and Photogenic.   Two-year-old Freeman is the daughter of Allyssa Hogan and Dustin Freeman of Marion.  She took Overall Formalwear and Overall Swimwear honors.

Ryun Eager garnered the first runner-up position to Mr. Wee Pop.  He is the 4-year-old son of Jessica Eager and Andrew Walter of Richwood, and took his age division in Formalwear and Photogenic.

First runner-up to Miss Wee Pop is Kytanna Clark, the 4-year-old daughter of Miranda Sisson and Johnie Clark of Marion.  She won her age division in Formalwear, Costume and Swimwear.

The 2013 Wee Pops will be featured on the Main Stage of the Marion Popcorn Festival.  They will also ride in the Festival’s Orville Redenbacher Parade, and represent the Marion Popcorn Festival at various parades and events throughout the state.

Categories for Formalwear, Costume with a popcorn theme, and Swimwear with a popcorn theme were divided into four age groups:  two years, three years, four, and five years.  The winners of these divisions, order of age, were:

• Formal Wear:
  2:  Kytanna Clark    3:  Tayra Horn        4:  Ryun Eager        5:  Braelynn Miller
  Overall:  Aaliyah Freeman
• Costumes:
  2:  Kytanna Clark    3:  Layne Curry    4:  Allyson Lynne Liming    5:  Mackenzie Schwartz
  Overall:  Braelynn Miller
• Swimwear:
  2:  Kytanna Clark    3:  Layne Curry    4:  Harleigh Kennedy        5:  Braelynn Miller
  Overall:  Aaliyah Freeman

Receiving honorable mention category awards were:  Madison Bishop, Lia Wise, Cordez Feliciano, Isabella Jane Albright, Maddisyn Kaye-Leighanne Meade, Tessa Sias, Lily Bella-Rose Callis, Aleigha Collins, and Alex Blair.

A separate photogenic contest was held in conjunction with the main pageant, and the results of this event had no bearing on the outcome of the Wee Pop Pageant.  Contestants were allowed to enter one or both events.  Aleigha Collins took overall honors as Most Photogenic, with Madison Bishop winning the two-year-old division, Layne Curry winning the three-year-old division, Ryun Eager winning the four-year-old division, and Braelyn Miller winning the five-year-old division.

Businesses responsible for sponsoring the event and many of the Wee Pop gifts and awards were:  Ideal Printing Service, Marion Auto Sales, Precision Auto, Goldrush Jewelers, Wal-Mart, Jerzee Drive Thru, McDonalds (Vince Ebner), Dolfin Music Service, Greenwood Floor Center, Georgia Mills Carpet, Ready-To-Rent, The Dance Factory, Candel’s Renovations, Burger King, and  Jane Wyatt.

Also contributing were BlueFusion Entertainment, The Columbus Zoo, Blue Streak Car Wash, Godfathers, PaPa John’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, LA Tan, Donatos, L & P Cake, Zoombezie Bay, Tubby’s Pizza, Red Lobster, Marion Flower Shop, El Campesino, and House of Hunan.

Set for September 5, 6 & 7 the Marion Popcorn Festival is the largest popcorn festival in the world with an annual attendance estimated in excess of 250,000 over the three-day festival.  The Miss Teeny Pop and Miss Teen Popcorn Pageants are slated for 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. respectively on Saturday, August 17, at River Valley High School.  For more information on all Festival events, visit the web site at www.popcornfestival.com or call 740/387-FEST.  The Marion Popcorn Festival is sponsored in part by the City of Marion.