TANK, PRUITT CROWNED BRITTON AREA SNOW QUEEN

    The 78th Britton Area Snow Queen Festival was held on Saturday. The senior and junior Snow Queens were crowned during the evening’s festivities. 
    Annika Tank, daughter of Allison and Renny Tank of Britton, was named Britton Area Snow Queen. Chellon Pruitt, daughter of Phil and Erin Pruitt of Britton, was crowned Junior Snow Queen. 
    The new queens will compete in Aberdeen in the state Snow Queen Festival in January. The South Dakota Junior Snow Queen will be crowned on Jan. 4 and the state Snow Queen will begin her reign on Jan. 11 with both events taking place at the Aberdeen Civic Theater
    Seven senior girls and eight junior queen candidates competed in the event sponsored by the Britton Action Club.  Heather Storbakken was named first runner-up in the senior division and McKenna Heer is second runner-up. Kennady Van Lith was the first runner up for Junior Snow Queen and Jaelee Grupe was the second runner-up. Kya McLaen was also voted as Miss Congeniality by her peers.
    Other girls who participated in the Britton Festival in the junior category were Baylee Bender, Paityn Erickson, Tiana Tank, and Jiana Davidson. The senior category was comprised of the three candidates noted above. 
    Last year’s Britton Snow Queen Jayden Bender, who was also named Second Runner-up at the state festival in January, crowned the new queen, Tank. Last year’s Junior Snow Queen Mataya Knecht crowned Pruitt as well. Knecht had earned the title of First Runner-up at the state Junior Festival this past January. 
    In a drawing to select the 2025 Little Miss and Little Master, Emily Christenson, daughter of Hope Christenson and Jeff Christenson was named Little Miss and Jesse Hastings, son of Megan and Brandon Hastings was crowned Little Master. A total of nine girls and seven boys participated. 
    Autumn Olson was unmasked as Frosty. 19 people correctly guessed her identity. Maddi Micko was awarded Britton Bucks in a drawing among the correct guesses. 
    2014’s Britton Area Snow Queen Liv Stavick served as emcee for the Britton Festival. Kristen Thayer, the Snow Queen Chair, awarded Bender with a scholarship upon the completion of her reign. 
    Langford’s Snow Queen Festival is planned for next month.