Paytn Smith and Alexander Thompson were named Miss and Mr. Wee Pop 2012 during competition held Saturday morning at Grant Middle School. Smith is the 2-year old daughter of Tiffany Smith and Jonathan Lechleitner. She also took Overall Costume with a Popcorn Theme and Overall Photogenic. Thompson is 5-years-old and is the son of Bryan and Ashley Thompson. He won Overall Swimwear as well as his age division in both formalwear and photogenic.
First runner-up to Miss Wee Pop was Harleigh Kennedy. She is the 3-year old daughter of Andrew and Kati Kennedy. She took her age division in Swimwear.
Four-year old Daniel Brumfield garnered the first runner-up position to Mr. Wee Pop. He is the 5-year-old son of Steven and Mandi Brumfield, and took his age division in Swimwear and Costume.
The 2012 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:
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Formal Wear:
Kyven Jenner, Abigail Long, Bailey Barlow, Alexander Thompson
Overall: Ryun Eager -
Costumes:
Tarya Horn, Ryun Eager, Katelyn Stevenson, Daniel Brumfield
Overall: Paytn Smith -
Swimwear:
Keman Haudenschield, Harleigh Kennedy, Katelyn Stevenson, Danield Brumfield
Overall: Alexander Thompson
Receiving honorable mention category awards were: Tayra Horn, David Hook III, Layne Curry, Emma Scott, Allyson Liming, Ellie Rowe, Braelyn Miller, Hannah Belt, Mackenzie Schwartz, Arelle Dyer, Shaylee Skarlett, Addisen Throckmorton, Amya Clemons, and Emerson Hildreth.
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. Paytn Smith took overall honors as Most Photogenic, with Layne Curry winning the two-year-old division, Ryun Eager, winning the three-year-old division, Braelyn Miller winning the four-year-old division, and Alexander Thompson winning the five-year-old division.
Businesses responsible for sponsoring the event and many of the Little Wee Pop gifts and awards were: Ideal Printing Service, Marion Auto Sales, Seismic Drilling, Precision Auto, Goldrush Jewelers, Wal-Mart, Jerzee Drive Thur, McDonalds (Vince Ebner), Dolfin Music Service, Greenwood Floor Center, Georgia Mills Carpet, Ready-To-Rent, The Dance Factory, Candel’s Renovations, Sears Portrait Studio, and Burger King.
Also contributing were BlueFusion Entertainment, The Columbus Zoo, Blue Streek Car Wash, Godfathers, PaPa John’s Pizza, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, LA Tan, Donatos, L & P Cade, Zoombezie Bay, Ralphies, Stumpo’s, Tubby’s Pizza, Marion Centre Cinema, and House of Hunan.
Set for September 8, 9, and 10, 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 13, 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.
Photo: New Wee Pop royalty was crowned by the Marion Popcorn Festival Saturday at Grant Middle School. Winners were (left to right): Runner-up Harleigh Kennedy; Miss Wee PopPaytn Smith; Mr. Wee Pop Alexander Thompson; and Runner-up Daniel Brumfield.
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