Steele County's Jena Hanson crowned 73rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way

By WCCO Staff August 26, 2026 / 9:30 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota Add CBS News on Google Jena Hanson was crowned the 73rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Wednesday. Hanson, a 20-year-old from Owatonna, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for the Minnesota dairy industry and families for the next year. Princesses are chosen based on personality and knowledge of the dairy community. Midwest Dairy Hanson was chosen out of 10 county dairy princesses who made it to the State Fair competition. Isabella Schiffler and Jaiden Smith, both of Stearns County, were selected as runners-up. For her first official duty as Princess Kay, Hanson will sit in a cooler on the fairgrounds Thursday and Friday while her likeness is sculpted in butter. Other finalists will also have their likeness turned into a butter sculpture throughout the fair. Hanson is currently studying at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. In: Minnesota State Fair