My Life in the Sparkle Section

Rhea Langemo. "My Life in the Sparkle Section" In the Midst Of, Cokato Historical Society (Corn Carnival Souvenir Edition, 2019) v. 39 no. 3. 

Rhea Langemo getting crowned a Cokato Princess, 1991.

​My involvement in the Cokato Royalty program began in 1991.  As a graduating senior, I was eligible to run for Miss Cokato and when I received the interest letter in the mail, I quickly checked the YES box and mailed it back to the Royalty Committee.  As a lifelong Cokato girl, I knew this was in my future and I looked forward to it more each year. Little did I know how that simple action of returning an interest letter would lead me to still be involved with the Cokato Royalty program all these years later.

We had a wonderful summer in 1991.  There were 11 candidates and because we had so many girls interested, the Corn Carnival Committee had decided to crown two princesses!  This exciting adventure would be given to three young women, instead of the long tradition of having a queen and princess. We traveled to a few parades and rode in a pontoon, while our Queen and Princess got to ride in the trademark white convertible. 

Adventures were had at Valley Fair and the local TV show “Good Company”, where we got our few minutes of fame if the camera happened to catch you! Our coronation day came and at the end of the evening, I was thrilled to be crowned one of the two new princesses and start my reign with Princess Callista Kirkpatrick (now Troup) and Queen Susan Danielson (now Johnson).  

The three of us also headed off to college and were ready the next summer to take on our reign and get new candidates ready to replace us.  Luckily, there were enough candidates again, so we would crown two princesses. At the end of the summer, we handed our crowns over to the new royalty and moved into the “Forevers” club.  I knew those two years would always hold a special place in my heart, full of wonderful memories, fun pictures, and formal dresses with big puffy sleeves.

Rhea Langemo (pointing) behind the scenes of the 2018 Cokato coronation ceremony.

​A great deal of life happened between the summer of 1992 and 2013, as one would expect.  I found myself back in Cokato with my family of five (yes, a daughter was in the mix…) and I was approached to join the Royalty Committee.  Just as when I received that interest letter so many years ago, I immediately said yes. I knew a few of the women on the current committee and after the initial meeting, it was confirmed that I had once again made a wonderful choice.  It is interesting to see the “inner workings” of the program and find out just how much goes into this experience. I grew even more proud of my community as I learned how many willing hands pitched in to bring the carnival and the coronation to a successful run. I love being backstage during the Coronation, as your heart is with each candidate, knowing how hard they have worked and prepared for this night.  I love the camaraderie of the Committee, getting candidates back into dresses after the fun dance, preparing the flowers/sash/crown for the new royalty and looking at each other when it’s over for another year with pride and tears...it is exhilarating and I cherish it.

So this year, I get a different role.  My daughter got the letter in the mail this spring and she immediately texted (how times have changed...) that she was interested.  Knowing that she was coming up to “her summer to run”, I stepped off of the Royalty Committee and into the “Nervous Mom of a Candidate” role.  It has been a joy to see my daughter get to have wonderful growth opportunities and experience the wise, loving, and patient women of the Royalty
Committee as they guide the candidates through this summer.  We are both excited as the Corn Carnival approaches and I know that maybe a few sparkles will make it down my cheeks as my beautiful daughter first walks on to that stage, Tuesday August 13, 2019--the same stage I walked on as a candidate 28 years ago.  

UPDATE: After Rhea wrote this, her daughter Erikka was crowned "Miss Cokato" on August 13, 2019.​

Erikka Langemo adding her photo to the Miss Cokato Queen wall in the Cokato Museum.