The Wolsey Wessington Area Snow Queen Festival was held on Saturday, Nov. 6, in the school commons in Wolsey with a large crowd in attendance. Tatum Luce was crowned Junior Snow Queen and her older sister, Macie Luce, received the Senior Snow Queen crown.  

The sisters, daughters of Jeff and Tammy Luce of rural Wolsey, will represent the Wolsey-Wessington Area at the Junior Snow Queen Competition on Jan. 8 and Senior Snow Queen Competition Jan. 15 at the Aberdeen Civic Arena. Maddie Larson of Wolsey received the Miss Congeniality Award at the local event.

Those in attendance at the festival were awed with the outstanding talent entries participating on Saturday evening. The third runner-up in the Junior Talent competition was Ciera Stevens followed by second runner-up Emma Langbehn, Taryn Rainford first runner-up and the winner Kendal Uttecht. Eric Bliss received the first place Senior Talent award. Uttecht’s vocal selection from the Broadway Musical “Hamilton” and the classical piano selection by Bliss will compete in the State Snow Queen Talent Competition on Saturday, Jan. 8, in Aberdeen.

The Prince and Princess candidates entertained the crowd with their answers to questions asked by reigning W-W Area Jr. Snow Queen Kelsie Roberts.

In a random drawing, Axle Fritzche was crowned the 2022 Prince while Lola Davies was crowned the Princess for the upcoming year.  Sam Erickson was revealed as the Mystery Snowman with Haylee Hiles receiving the prize for correctly identifying him.

Jason Bishop, faculty member at W-W High School, who served as emcee for the event, deserves accolades for his performance along with committee members Brooke LeGrand, Rechelle, Kelsie Roberts and Whitney Swartz.