Malorie Thorson became the 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Wednesday, the eve of the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.

Thorson, 20, 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.

Thorson was chosen out of 10 county dairy princesses who made it to the State Fair competition.  

For her first official duty as Princess Kay, Thorson 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.

Thorson, who is from Waverly, is currently studying dairy production at South Dakota State University.