Passionate about serving the community through emergency medicine and promoting West Virginia, Kourtney Jones, a nursing student at West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC), is the 2026 West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals (WVAFF) Queen.
As the 2025 West Virginia Strawberry Festival Queen, Jones participated in the eight-day festival in Buckhannon but also attended other events promoting the Strawberry Festival, making her selection as the statewide ambassador for fairs and festivals a meaningful continuation of her service. Now, she will represent the WVAFF across the Mountain State, promoting West Virginia’s rich agricultural heritage and the importance of local fairs and festivals.
During the annual convention, which culminated in Jones receiving the crown on January 10 in Charleston, Jones promoted the festival and participated in interviews with the judges, during which she shared the impact the Strawberry Festival has on the area.
“It is truly an honor to have been crowned the association queen,” Jones says. “This is a huge industry in our state and bringing this representation back to Buckhannon and the Strawberry Festival means so much. This is something I’ve worked toward for so long and has so much meaning to my family. I am so excited to represent our state and promote what our association is all about.”
The WVAFF supports and promotes fairs and festivals throughout the state, recognizing their role in preserving history, fostering tourism and enhancing community pride. As queen, Jones will attend fairs, festivals and public events across the state throughout 2026. She will also reign over the 101st West Virginia State Fair August 13-22.
A native of Elkins, WV, now residing in Buckhannon, Jones has held several titles en route to becoming the WVFFA Queen. Her passion for service aligns closely with her academic path as a nursing student at WVWC, where she is preparing for a career centered on compassion, advocacy and community well-being. She is also a nationally registered EMT and serves three West Virginia counties.
“Being a student at Wesleyan has truly helped so much, even in pageants,” Jones says. “Attending a smaller college has connected me closely with our amazing faculty, who have supported me at every step, not just with this huge accomplishment. Having a faculty that supports big accomplishments outside of our college says a lot about how welcoming and amazing Wesleyan is.”
