Past Princess Kays honored, set stage for 60th annual event
Published 10:52 am Thursday, August 1, 2013
Pictured are past Princess Kays. Back row, from left: Jean Lindig Kessler (Princess Kay 27), Betty Jax Cole (Princess Kay 6), Elizabeth Olson (Princess Kay 56), Wanda Ponto Sackter (Princess Kay 22), Gayle Krogstad Solum (Princess Kay 17), Karen Bracken Geier (Princess Kay 11) and Eleanor Maley Thatcher (Princess Kay 1). In the center is the famous butter carton dress worn by Princess Kay 12, Mary Ann Titrud at the 1965 Minnesota State Fair. This dress is part of the Minnesota History Center’s archives and was displayed specially for Saturday’s event.
Adams native and sixth Princess Kay of the Milky Way Betty Jax Cole, along with other past Princess Kays, gathered at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul last Saturday to celebrate the upcoming crowning of the 60th Princess Kay, and begin the official countdown to the Minnesota State Fair.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way will be crowned on the eve of the Minnesota State Fair, and will spend her year-long reign serving as the official goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s nearly 4,000 dairy farmers.
To honor this milestone, Princess Kays past, present and future gathered at the Minnesota History Center this past Saturday to pay homage to the upcoming crowning and to celebrate the role each of the 59 princesses has played in the Princess Kay tradition.
The event included a ceremony featuring current Princess Kay Christine Reitsma of Sauk Centre, former Princess Kay Karen Bracken Geier (Princess Kay 11, 1964-1965), former Princess Kay Betty Jax Cole (Princess Kay 6, 1959-1960), Minnesota dairy farmer Kristine Spadgenske of Menahga, and the 12 finalists vying to be the 60th Princess Kay.
Nicole Jax of Mower County will be among this year’s 12 contestants.
The 60th Princess Kay will be crowned at the State Fair Bandshell 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21.
The Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 22 through Sept. 2.
