Miss Effingham County, Kelly Niemerg, will reign over the 2004 Illinois State Fair as the Miss Illinois County Fair Queen.

Niemerg was crowned January 18, 2026 in Springfield following the annual queen pageant by Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke and retiring Fair Queen Jamie Bolander. More than 60 county fair queens participated. Kelly, a resident of Dieterich, is the daughter of Carl Niemerg and Glen and Colleen Gephart. She attends the University of Illinois and is studying to obtain a masters degree in Speech Therapy to assist stroke patients with speech recovery.

Miss Marion County Fair, Ashley Kell of Salem, was named first runner-up. The judges selected Miss Macoupin County Fair, Ashley Gibbel of Carlinville, as second runner-up.

Other finalists in the annual competition included Miss Warren County Fair, Emily Witherbury; Miss Moultrie-Douglas County Fair, Michelle Cookson; Miss Logan County Fair, Katheryne Stoll; Miss Marshall-Putnam County Fair, Ashlie Kolb; Miss Schuyler County Fair, Elizabeth Matthews; Miss Kankakee County Fair, Jill Wright; Miss Moultrie County Fair, Ashlee Walton; Miss Christian County Fair, Natasha Kemmerling; and Miss Lawrence County Fair, Ashley Andrews.

Non-finalist competition awards were presented to Miss Vermilion County Fair, Elissa Flynn of Danville, for best interview; Miss Sangamon County Fair, Kathryn Neuman of Pleasant Plains, for best communication skills; Miss Iroquois County Fair, Brittany McTaggart, for best beauty & physique and Miss Williamson County, Lindsey Snider, for best stage presence.

The Ruby Crum Memorial Award for charm and enthusiasm was presented to Miss Christian County Fair, Natasha Kimmerling of Morrisonville.