FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — Emma Kuball was crowned the 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way, a tradition that's preceded the official start of the Minnesota State Fair.
Kuball, a 19-year-old college student from Waterville, Minnesota, was announced this year's winner at Wednesday's coronation at the state fairgrounds.
Makenzie Alberts of Pine Island and Megan Ratka of Cold Spring were named runners-up. Kuball, Alberts and Ratka were also named scholarship winners, while Gracie Ash of Milaca was named Miss Congeniality.
Kuball, a University of Wisconsin-River Falls student, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for 1,850 Minnesota dairy farm families. Her first official duty will be to sit in a rotating cooler in the Dairy Building while Minnesota artist and butter sculptor Gerry Kulzer fashions her likeness from a 90-pound block of butter.
The other nine finalists in the competition will also have their likeness forged from butter. The schedule for the sittings is as follows:
- Saturday, Aug. 26: Montana Krueger, Arlington, representing Sibley County
- Sunday, Aug. 27: Megan Ratka, Cold Spring, representing Stearns County
- Monday, Aug. 28: Makenzie Alberts, Pine Island, representing Dodge County
- Tuesday, Aug. 29: Josephine Sutherland, Flandreau, S.D., representing Pipestone County
- Wednesday, Aug. 30: Katherine Hills, Monticello, representing Wright County
- Thursday, Aug. 31: Gracie Ash, Milaca, representing Mille Lacs County
- Friday, Sept. 1: Anne Simpson, Pine Island, representing Olmsted County
- Saturday, Sept. 2: Jalyssa Beaudry, Otsego, representing Wright County
- Sunday, Sept. 3: Riley Ward, St. Charles, representing Winona County
Daily updates and photos of the sculptures can be seen on the Princess Kay Facebook page.
Princess Kay and the other finalists are scheduled to make appearances near the Butter Sculpture Booth and the Moo Booth in the Dairy Building throughout the fair. The Dairy Barn is located at the corner of Judson Avenue and Underwood Street.
Watch more from the 2023 Minnesota State Fair:
Check out all of KARE 11's coverage of the State Fair in our YouTube playlist:
