Local News

No Rain for Royal Event

Coronation ceremony moved up to avoid storms

ELKINS -- The plan to move up the coronation ceremony for the Mountain State Forest Festival’s 88th Queen Silvia Friday afternoon was successful, as not a single raindrop fell during the festivities.

West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner crowned Queen Silvia LXXXVIII Emma Grace Snyder at the Citizens Bank of WV Amphitheatre on the campus of Davis & Elkins College.

The decision was made Thursday evening to move up the ceremony by 90 minutes, due to the presence of rain in Friday’s weather forecast.

Royal trumpeteers Estrid Mara Garver-Daniels, Grayson Alexander Streets, Madeline Grace Wamsley, and Kyle Liam Warner provided fanfare for the queen and her court at the start of the ceremony Friday.

Following the royal trumpeteers was the 2026 Woodly the Elf, Pierslyn Farley, the MSFF mascot and the fabled painter of the forest.

Representing the many colors of the forest in their gowns were 40 royal princesses from across the Mountain State.

Princesses included Lilyana Anderson, Emily Bacorn, Marissa Barajas, Madeline Belan, Isabella Bennett, Braelyn Bonnell, Raegan Booth, Laney Burns, Raighan Carte, Cadence Carter, Morgan Cowgill, Hannah Currence, Aubrie Evans, Madalynn Ferguson, Camrie Goshert, Haiden Hedrick, Kennide Helmick, Reagan Herron, Rachel Himes, Karley Hoffman, Grace Kyle, Rhaygen Kyle, Madelyn Lambert, Taylor Lanham, Mackenzie Lyons, Coraymalis "Coray" Martinez, Lindsey Moss, Rachel Ogershok, Calli Propst, Hailey Riffle, Gracie Scott, Audrina Shelton, Alyssa Swecler. Mackenzie Taylor, Emma Ujvagi, Delia White, Kaley White, Autumn Wood, Jaden Workman and Jasmin Workman.

Following the princesses’ descent of Coronation Hill were flower girls Adlee Taelor Cox, Emberlee Blair Howell, Emory Gene Isner, Bailey Lynn Pennington, Alexis Brooke Riffle and Maggie Mae Workman.

Train Bearers Archer Abram Broschart and Elliott Robert Chenoweth served Queen Silvia LXXXVIII by holding the flowing train of her majestic gown as she descended Coronation Hill.

Snyder was also accompanied by her two Maids of Honor, Kendall Rayann Corley and Grace Elizabeth Parsons.

Maid of Honor Corley is the daughter of Keith and Beth Corley of Elkins.

Maid of Honor Parsons is the daughter of John and Amy Parsons of Elkins.

Crown Bearer Everett Todd Wamsley assisted Warner in presenting Snyder with her crown. Scepter Bearer Tayler Michelle Poe carried the symbol of power down the hill to the coronation stage.

Entertaining guests of the Mountain State Forest Festival during the coronation were royal jesters Emersyn Kate Biller, Braelyn Marie Haddix, Emma Leigh Hammonds and Raegan Catherine Kerns.

The royal scouts for the coronation were Delaney Reed Bennett, Addysin Jean Terry, Lance Parker Hardy and Harrison Monroe Wood.

Also present for coronation as the “Court Noblemen” were State Senator Robbie Morris, State Senator Bill Hamilton, Delegate Jonathan Kyle, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, W.Va. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt and Davis & Elkins College’s Scott Goddard.

Snyder, 21, is the daughter of James and Kim Snyder of Hambleton. She is the granddaughter of Alta Snyder and the late Kenneth Snyder of Hambleton, Mary Mauldin and the late Lieutenant Colonel Mack Mauldin of Hendricks and David and Wilda Shrout of Thomas. Emma has one brother, Adam Lambruno.

The 88th Queen Silvia is a 2023 graduate of Tucker County High School, where she ranked in the top 10 in her class, was a member of National Honor Society and a class officer.

Snyder graduated with honors from West Virginia University in May 2026, earning a degree in anthropology with a minor in religious studies. Snyder is continuing her education at WVU for a Master's in public history and plans to attend law school.