The Carbon County Fair opened Monday night with a ceremony to honor volunteers and vendors.

Mercy Melo was crowned 2016 Carbon County Fair queen, with Felicia Sue Anthony named runner-up.Both girls received flowers and a sash to mark their accomplishment.Jordan Behrens, former fair queen and now part of the Fair Queen Association, presented these to the girls."We want to show them the lasting impact this can have," said Behrens about being fair queen.Behrens was also named volunteer of the year along with Mark and Karen Green and Dorette Gombert."Volunteerism is very healthy here," said fair board President Bob Silliman.The Greens work on things such as Farmer for a Day, prizes for the Fair Queen program, and the various flower beds throughout the fair.Members of the 4-H clubs began the ceremony with a reading of the 4-H creed.The members also had many of their exhibits on display at the fair, which will continue throughout the week.These include livestock, still exhibits, basket trees, church dolls, archery, and Fair Queen Melo's own sheep and goats were judged on Monday.Martha Moyer opened the ceremony with a singing of the national anthem, and closed the program by singing "God Bless America."A theme that ran throughout the ceremony was the recognition and gratitude given to the volunteers, sponsors and workers of the fair.Fred Strathmeyer Jr., deputy secretary for Plant Industry & Consumer Protection, represented Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding at the opening ceremony."The Pennsylvania fair system would be nothing without the volunteers," Strathmeyer said. He presented the 2016 Friend of the Fair to LeRoy C. Wentzel, who has helped with the fair since its inception. He helps mostly in the arena with events such as the tractor pull.State Rep. Doyle Heffley spoke about the importance of many of the nonprofits that attend the fair."Get out, visit the vendors, shop, spend money and get food," Heffley said.Brenda Green presented a bench in memory of Michael A. Muniz, who was killed in a car crash several years ago.Bicycles that will be raffled off on Children's Day Tuesday will be in memory of Muniz.