Brenna Connelly, a 19-year-old college student from Byron representing Olmsted County, was crowned the 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Way at a private ceremony that was streamed virtually Aug. 12.

Brenna Connelly, 67th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. (Photo courtesy of Midwest Dairy.)

Connelly will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 3,000 Minnesota dairy farm families. She is the daughter of Craig and Heather Connelly and attends the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Ten county dairy princesses from across Minnesota competed for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title. Emily Benrud of Goodhue, representing Goodhue County, and Maggie Molitor of Rockville, representing Stearns County, were selected as runners-up.

Katherine Maus of Freeport, representing Stearns County, along with Benrud and Connelly, were named scholarship winners. Molitor was also named Miss Congeniality.

Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Connelly will make appearances to help connect consumers to Minnesota’s dairy farm families and bring dairy to life through conversations, classroom visits and various speaking engagements. Connelly will attend events both virtually and in-person, as it is safe to do so.

Connelly’s first official duty as Princess Kay was having her likeness sculpted in a 90-pound block of butter at the Dairy Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Aug. 13. Finalists Taylor Jerde of Northfield, representing Dakota County; Maggie Meyer of Grove City, representing Meeker County; and Maggie Molitor of Rockville, representing Stearns County, have since had their likenesses carved, too.

Remaining finalists are scheduled to have their likeness sculpted as follows:

Aug. 17. Emma Friauf of Glencoe, representing McLeod County

Aug. 18. Valerie Sauder of Pine Island, representing Dodge County

Aug. 19. Rebeckah Schroeder of Caledonia, representing Houston County

Aug. 20. Katherine Maus of Freeport, representing Stearns County

Aug. 21. Emily Benrud of Goodhue, representing Goodhue County

Aug. 22. Mackenzie Craig of Alexandria, representing Douglas County

While sculpting is closed to the public, fans can tune in to watch the butter sculpting and ask questions of the finalists live on Princess Kay’s Facebook page at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.  

Gerry Kulzer, a sculptor, artist and teacher from Litchfield, will be sculpting all the finalists. Longtime Princess Kay sculptor Linda Christensen assisted Kulzer virtually from her home in California while he sculpted Connelly.

Source: Midwest Dairy, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.