Bednarczyk crowned Oyster Fest Queen

Caitlynn Epperly crowned festival’s Little Miss Spat

Carina Bednarczyk was crowned Queen of the 66th Urbanna Oyster Festival and Caitlynn Epperly was crowned Little Miss Spat at the Urbanna firehouse on Friday, Nov. 3.

As the 2023 Urbanna Oyster Festival Queen, Bednarczyk received a $5,000 college scholarship and received a $250 scholarship for having the overall best community service project.

As the 2023 Little Miss Spat, Caitlynn Epperly received $150.

Sophia Koontz was the Queen first runner-up and received a $4,000 college scholarship and a $250 scholarship for the academic achievement award.

Lacey Paige Edwards was runner up for Little Miss Spat and received $100.

The other Little Miss Spat contestants, Cayden Miller and Margeaux Page, each received $25.

The foundation of this competition is character building and community service. Each Queen contestant must volunteer a minimum of 25 hours benefiting Middlesex County. This year’s Queen and Spat contestants volunteered well more than the required time, completing over 120 hours and donating more than $3,000 for the betterment of this community.

For her community service project Carina Bednarczyk and her Little Miss Spat co-contestants, Lacey Paige Edwards and Cayden Miller, made Middlesex Pet Friends for Life (MPFL) their special project.

They raised funds and awareness of the organization’s mission through various events around Middlesex County.

Oyster Festival Queen Carina Bednarczyk attends Middlesex High School and lives in Hartfield. She has participated in Key Club, Art Club, and a member of American Rabbit Breeders Association, showing nationally and making it to the national top 10 in youth. Carina maintains a 3.2 GPA and keeps an AB Honor Roll each quarter. Carina interned for Teachers For Tomorrow as well. She plans to attend a four-year college to achieve a degree in biology and education. In her free time she enjoys writing and drawing. Carina is the daughter of Colleen Bednarczyk and David Bednarczyk Jr. and the granddaughter of Laura Hough and Robbert Gallicchio, and Delores and David Bednarczyk Sr.

Little Miss Spat Caitlynn Epperly is a first grader at Middlesex Elementary School and lives in Locust Hill. She is the daughter of Eric and Crissy Epperly; granddaughter of Wayne and Liz Rainier and Mike and Mary Epperly, Rick Welsh, and Steve and Nancy Volk. She loves to play soccer, make crafts and do gymnastics. She likes snakes. Caitlynn wants to be a teacher to help kids when she grows up. 

Runners up

For her community service project, Sophia Koontz and her Little Miss Spat co-contestants, Caitlynn Epperly and Margeaux Page, raised awareness and collected donations to help Middlesex County Public Schools buy sports equipment for sports not heavily funded, including track, cross country, tennis and wrestling.

Sophia Koontz, the queen runner up, is a Middlesex High School (MHS) student and is an active member of the National Honor Society and student government. Sophia resides in Hartfield. Sophia is a member of the MHS soccer, cross country and wrestling teams. She is also an intern in the Work Transitions Program, that works with special needs students to assist them in long term employment following their graduations. She plans to attend a 4 year college next fall. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and running. Sophia is the daughter of Sherry Free and John Koontz Jr.; her grandparents are Mary and Charlie Free and Helen and Esquire John Koontz Sr. 

Little Miss Spat runner-up Lacey Paige Edwards is a first grader at Middlesex Elementary School and resides in Saluda.

Lacey Paige is the daughter of Andy and Raquel Edwards, the granddaughter of Jamie and Becky Edwards, and the granddaughter of Gary Pierce and Christy McKittrick. She enjoys arts and crafts, swimming, gymnastics, and spending time with her family and friends. When she grows up, she wants to be a horseback riding instructor and a veterinarian. 

Other contestants

Other Little Miss Spat contestants include Cayden Miller and Margeaux Page.

Margeaux Page is a first-grade student at Middlesex Elementary School and lives in Topping. She is the daughter of Cybrina Cook and Chad Page, and the granddaughter of John and Kathy Page, and Gale Neal Page, and Gene and Suzanne Cook. Margeaux enjoys playing and singing with her little brother and cousins. She also loves to do yoga in the morning and evening. When she grows up she would like to be a teacher, rock star and a baby doctor.

Cayden Miller is a first grader at Chesapeake Academy and resides in Locust Hill. She is the daughter of Bryan Allyn and Jennifer Miller, the granddaughter of William and Johnna Harris, and the granddaughter of Bryan Lee and Deborah Miller; the great-granddaughter of Sue Ferari, Nancy Harris and Helen Longest. Cayden loves to sing, dance, cheer and perform gymnastics. She loves horses as well! She loves spending time with family and friends. When she grows up she wants to be a boss of hairdressers and she wants to be a judge.