Kiersten Knobbe

Every year at county fairs across the state, fair queens are voted on, and then they travel to Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair.

The 2023 Guthrie County Fair Queen Kiersten Knobbe says that she wanted to run for the county fair queen because she has enjoyed being part of the fair since she was a little girl, and wanted to be able to help other 4-H exhibitors at the fair. She mentions that her experience in showing for 4-H, community service and different leadership roles helped prepare her, and helped her achieve being this year’s Guthrie County Fair Queen. Knobbe tells Raccoon Valley Radio that a very exciting part of being the county fair queen was being able to meet and compete against the other county fair queens at the Iowa State Fair.

“So it’s very rewarding. It’s also sort of amazing how many different people there are. You meet so many people, and in the end, I think every time I see, like, a county license plate or drive through a county now, I can associate those counties with sort of a face or a person. And so it was great to just interact and meet with all of those other girls that have all done amazing and remarkable things in their own counties.”

Knobbe advises others who would like to run to be the county fair queen that taking on leadership roles, performing community service, and participating as much as possible in fair events can all help in an application. She adds that it’s not just about wanting to be the fair queen, but what things you can accomplish and do to help that can make you strive for the position. The Introduction of the 2024 Guthrie County Fair Queen will occur in the Little Amphitheater at 5pm on Sunday.