Audrey Weller and Addison Dilly crowned East Otter Tail dairy princesses

Audrey Weller and Addison Dilly were crowned the 2026 East Otter Tail County Midwest Dairy Princesses at Pizza Ranch in Perham on April 16. The title gives both young women a visible job in one of Otter Tail County’s signature industries, with a year of appearances that will put local dairy in front of families, businesses and civic groups across west-central Minnesota.

Midwest Dairy says dairy princesses represent dairy farmers in their states and attend numerous consumer-facing events. The crown and banner are part of that public role, helping people identify who the princesses are and what they represent. Midwest Dairy also describes the Dairy Princess and Dairy Ambassador programs as a way to build leadership, communication and advocacy skills for young women who want to be involved in the dairy community.

That makes the East Otter Tail coronation more than a pageant-style honor. Weller and Dilly are stepping into roles that blend school, community and agriculture, giving county residents two spokespeople who can explain modern milk production and the families behind it. Their appearances will likely keep them in front of audiences at ice cream events, farm-related functions, classroom visits, media interviews and other public gatherings where dairy farmers want a direct connection with consumers.

The timing also fits into a larger Minnesota system that runs on a fixed calendar. Midwest Dairy says county dairy princess contests take place from January to April, and county princesses then gather in May for a leadership event tied to the Princess Kay of the Milky Way selection process. Midwest Dairy’s Minnesota handbook also says county organizations are strongly encouraged to crown a manageable number of princesses rather than naming one princess and attendants or runners-up, which helps explain why East Otter Tail has two new ambassadors instead of a larger court.

Weller and Dilly will carry that role into a busy county fair season. The East Otter Tail County Fair is scheduled for July 23-26, 2026, in Perham, with livestock shows, 4-H and FFA exhibits, exhibitors, carnival rides and grandstand events. Those are the kinds of countywide gatherings where dairy princesses can stand alongside farm families and help keep agriculture part of the public conversation.

Otter Tail County’s agricultural identity is also reinforced by local institutions that preserve its rural past. The History Museum of East Otter Tail County in Perham was established in 1998, and the Otter Tail County Historical Society maintains township history boxes, photographs, books, microfilm and other local-history resources.