STANFORD — The streets of downtown Stanford were aglow with lights and rife with activity Saturday evening as throngs of people crowded onto Main Street for the annual Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade.
With the streetlights brightened with strands of Christmas lights and downtown business fronts lit up for the season, parade-goers had little trouble finding their way along the sidewalks of downtown Stanford.
The Christmas parade, which drew one of the largest crowds in recent years to Stanford, welcomed in the holiday season with a wide variety of well-lit and well-decorated floats, automobiles, wagons and horses. Also scattered along the parade route was a long line of lovely ladies and young gentlemen with the Snow Queen, Snow Countess, Snow Duchess and Snow Princess candidates and their escorts also joining the parade.
At the conclusion of the parade, attention shifted to the the Lincoln County Courthouse and the crowning of the 2016 Snow Queen. Auburn Mattingly, 17, was deemed the top candidate out of a field of 30 hopefuls to wear the Snow Queen crown and title. Mattingly, the daughter of Michael and Kristie Mattingly of Hustonville and a senior at Lincoln County High School, was sponsored by the Lady Patriot Soccer Team and escorted by her brother, Baylor Mattingly.
First runner-up in the contest was Madelyn Day, 16, daughter of Daryl and Dawn Day of Stanford. Her sponsor was Future Business Leaders of America. Her escort was Roby Mullins, son of Ricky and Kelly Mullins of Lancaster.
Taylor-Grace Mingo, 17, sponsored by LCHS Girls’ Varsity Golf, was named the second runner-up. Mingo, the daughter of Chris and Jamie Mingo of Stanford, was escorted by Ryan Montgomery, son of Scott and Suzanne Montgomery of Stanford.
Third runner-up was Logan Godbey, 17, daughter of Tim and Dayna Godbey of Stanford. She was sponsored by the National Honor Society and her escort was Kade Bandura, son of Kevin and Jennifer Bandura of Stanford.
Emma Kaiser, 16, sponsored by the LCHS Football Team, was named the fourth runner-up. Kaiser, the daughter of Andrew and Jennifer Kaiser of Stanford, was escorted by Joshua Dale Salyers, son of Jeff and Mandy Salyers.
The remaining Snow Queen candidates, their sponsors and escorts were: Madisen Hinkle, daughter of Brad Hinkle and LeeAnn Hinkle, Stafford Health Services Inc., and Cadan Thomas Norden, son of John Norden and Candace and Ty Howard; Raelyn Amon, daughter of Tim and Dana Taylor and Bobby Amon, LCHS Student Council, and Wyatt Hon, son of Dustin and Brandi Hon; Kallie Phillips, daughter of Kieth and Billie Phillips, LCHS Softball, and Dalton Brown, son of Jason and Heather Brown; Kaitlin Wesley, daughter of April and Tige Wesley, LCHS Cheerleading, and Seth Young, son of Shauna and Greg Young; Sydney Slone, daughter of Jason and April Slone, First Priority, and Noah Horton, son of Casey and Angela Horton; Caitlin Maddison Mitchum, daughter of Twaina and Jassen Snow, KEY Club, and Cole Toombs, son of Alison and Rocky Kidd; Hayley Reynolds, daughter of Elivie and Rita Dowell, Bastin Safety Training, and Toby Bastin, son of Jim and Amy Bastin; Tera Padgett, daughter of Stacy Padgett and Terry Ashley-Padgett, SkillsUSA, and Devon Padgett, son of Brad Padgett; Kaycee Jarrett, daughter of Jody and Jennifer Jarrett, HOSA, and David Burton, son of Judy and Lee Burton; Alli House, daughter of Ruby and Curt House, FCCLA, and Brady Patterson, son of Greg Patterson and Tiffany Johnson; Katelyn McWhorter, daughter of Jeff and Jennie McWhorter, Beta Club, and David Brock, son of Andy and Donita Brock; Adie Hogue, daughter of Denny Hogue and Holly Black, Lincoln County Ready Mix, and Garrett Clem, son of Mike and Connie Clem; Tatum Newcomb, daughter of Bryan Moberly and Burnett Newcomb, KUNA/KYA, and Cameron Young, son of Peggy and Scott Young; Ashley Simpson, daughter of Neal and Jennifer Simpson, LCHS Cheer, and Blake Eldridge, son of Jaime Foley and Steve Eldridge; Taryn Johnson, daughter of Neal and Stacy Johnson, David Meade, and Luke Smith, son of Keith and Rhonda Smith; Shaylee Reed, daughter of Carol Reed and Johnny Reed, Central KY Diagnostic Center, and Hunter Jeffries, son of Amanda Johnson and Scott Jeffries; Hannah Jacobs, daughter of Shelia Napier, TATU, and Tyler Pearson, son of Connie Lemaster; Jasmine Whited, daughter of John and Jynise Whited, LCHS Volleyball, and Parker Thompson, son of Mark Thompson and Michelle Thompson; Kendra Gingrass, daughter of Troy Gingrass, Lincoln Co. Fire Department, and Justin Buchanan, son of Brandy Justice; Olivia Calfee, daughter of Tonya and Norman Calfee, HOSA, and Garret Dalton, son of Chris and Tracie Dalton; Emmy Sears, daughter of Tammy and Todd Sears, FFA, and Dustin Jones, son of Adriane and Eric Jones; Laura Ferguson, daughter of Andy and Carol Ann Ferguson, Steppin’ Out Dance Studio, and John Sparkman, son of John Sparkman; and Kendra Smith, daughter of Kenny and Tammy Smith, Kenny’s Pulling Parts & Machine, and Drayden Joshua Sweet, son of Devron and Laura Sweet.
See next week’s IJ for results from the rest of the Snow Court.