COVID-19 wasn't going to stop Olmstead County's Brenna Connelly from being crowned the 67th Princess Kay of the Milk Way on Wednesday night.
Connelly, 19, is from Byron, Minnesota and attends the University of Minnesota.
"It feels amazing standing up here," Connelly said after hearing her name called. "It's something I've dreamed of since I was a little girl."
The private event, which was live streamed on Facebook, saw ten county dairy princess from across the state compete for the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way. 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.
Connelly will get her likeness sculpted into a 90-pound block of butter on Thursday at the Dairy Building on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Other finalists will have their likenesses sculpted between Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 22.
Thursday's sculpting event is not open to the public, however 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.
Minnesota sculptor, Gerry Kulzer, an artist and teacher from Litchfield will be sculpting all the finalists. Longtime sculptor Linda Christensen will be assisting Kulzer virtually from her home in California while he sculpts Connelly.