The 2019 Iowa State Fair is off and running, and one of the first attractions is the crowning of this year’s State Fair Queen.

County fair queens from throughout Iowa have been taking in the fair since Tuesday, and tomorrow their week will culminate in the Queen Pageant. The representative from Dallas County is Kate Collins of Adel, who was crowned in July. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that what she’s most been looking forward to at the State Fair is the opportunity to get to know her fellow contestants. “I’m really excited to meet other girls and just see and hear their stories. And I’m excited to represent Dallas County at such a high level and continue to talk about ag with other people.”

Collins is an Adel-DeSoto Minburn alum, where she was active in 4-H, FFA, and athletics. She’s now heading into her junior year at Iowa State University, where she is majoring in agricultural business and international ag. She feels she’d be a good choice for State Fair Queen because she’s passionate about advocating for agriculture and getting females involved in the industry. The Pageant will be held tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Anne and Bill Riley Stage. The winner will take home an assortment of prizes, including a bond and scholarship, and will participate in a variety of events for the remainder of this year’s fair.