COLUSA, CA (MPG) – Under the glow of stage lights and carnival rides, Maxwell’s Makenna Dunlap was crowned Miss Colusa County on opening night of the 2025 Colusa County Fair.
The 17-year-old was stunning in a rhinestone-embedded yellow fitted gown, but dazzled the judges with her poise and confidence. The competition is not a beauty contest, organizers said, but rather a program that fosters youth accomplishments, community service, academic achievement, and recognition for excellence.
“I’m so excited to see what I have in store,” said Dunlap, who has been active in her school, sports, and community for a decade.
Dunlap is the daughter of Sherma and Tammy Dunlap. She will be a junior at Maxwell High School in the fall, where she will continue her academic excellence and involvement in FFA and FBLA, while playing volleyball, softball, and track.
Dunlap was chosen from a field of eight contestants vying for $1,300 in scholarships and the opportunity to represent the county at community and regional events over the next year.
Dunlap was crowned on June 12 by outgoing Miss Colusa County Allie Wills, a 2025 graduate of Maxwell High School, who won the pageant last year.
The scholarship program is sponsored by Stagehands Theatre, the Chet and Joy Shifflett Scholarship Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Colusa, but the pageant is the product of the hard work and dedication of many volunteers, said Master of Ceremonies Kent Boes.
Although the fair went tropical with its 2025 theme, the pageant rocked the 1950s with each contestant speaking about the music of that iconic era, dressed in an outfit of their choice that represented their topic.
Dunlap was a polished competitor, both poised and confident before a large audience, which accounted for one-third of the 150 total points possible.
“My mind is in all genres, all decades, and all the time,” Dunlap said about music. “It’s a playlist on shuffle and I feel every ounce of that music in every cell of my body. I believe this probably stems from being the daughter of Generation X parents.”
For the win, Dunlap will receive $1,000 from the Chett and Joy Shifflett Foundation and $300 from the Colusa Rotary when she heads off to college in the fall of 2026 to become a large animal veterinarian, an equine chiropractor, or pursue a career in an agriculture-related field.
Caeden Agnew, 17, was selected first runner-up and will fulfill the duties of Miss Colusa County when needed.
Agnew is the daughter of Garrett and Emma Agnew, of Colusa. She is a junior at Colusa High School where she is involved in softball, volleyball, dance, FFA, and FBLA, among other activities.
Agnew will receive $500 from the Shifflett Foundation and $200 from Colusa Rotary when she pursues a career in medicine.
The contestants selected Bianca Minutti as Colusa County’s 2025 Miss Congeniality.
Minutti, 16, is the daughter of Arturo and Ana Minutti, of Williams, although she attends Maxwell High School, where she is a junior.
Minutti will receive a $100 scholarship from Colusa Rotary to pursue a career in nursing or education.