First runner-up to King Buckwheat emphasizes festival's spotlighting of community spirit

Sep. 22—In previous years, William Estep has admired friends who served on the Preston County Buckwheat Festival's Royalty Court and saw the ways their experiences on that court enriched their lives. For the 82nd Buckwheat Festival, Estep decided to step away from the sidelines and put himself out there—and it paid off.

This year, Estep serves as the Buckwheat Festival Royalty Court's first runner-up to King Buckwheat and escort to First Maid of Honor Ella Seese.

Competing for a place on the Royalty Court was an easy decision for Estep. After seeing firsthand the excitement and unique lessons of his peers, Estep saw only a benefit in embracing a role in the festival that has been so paramount to his upbringing and regional culture.

"I figured I'd give it a shot myself, and I'm glad I did, because it's been a lot of fun, " said Estep.

It's not the first time Estep has played a part in the festivities. At age 8, Estep acted as a crown bearer for pageant ceremonies, alongside second runner-up to King Buckwheat Kaden Hayes.

During these same childhood years, Estep often watched festival parades with a front-row view seated outside of his father's office in Kingwood. His love for the parades hasn't changed much, other than an upgrade from front-row seating to a personal spot in the parade itself.

Taking part in the parades has been one of his favorite parts of his Royalty Court responsibilities, enjoying the opportunities to meet new people and basking in the lively parade environment. That, and getting ice cream with the rest of the court after events.

"We've met a lot of people through going to these different parades, and I know it has been a great experience for me as well as everybody else, " said Estep.

For this week's festival, Estep looks forward to one of the fair's newest additions: a real-life superhero.

Youth empowerment initiative Heroes 4 Higher will attend the festival on Friday with firefighter and veteran John Buckland playing the role of Batman to use both the superhero persona and the heroic realities of his own experiences to inspire bravery and hope among his audience.

"I'm looking forward to Batman, " said Estep. "There are a lot of new things coming this year, but I can 100 % say that Batman will be my favorite."

As a senior at Preston High School, Estep has earned his Future Farmers of America (FFA) state degree.

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