The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.
State dairy promotion leaders are excited to announce the move of the Maryland Dairy Princess Contest to the Maryland State Fair. The 61st annual event will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, September 1, in the Cow Palace on the Timonium Fairgrounds.
“Giving the spotlight to our outstanding dairy spokespersons at a venue with thousands of fairgoers will showcase Maryland’s dairy industry and allow consumers to learn more about milk, dairy products and our hard-working farmers,” said Susan Summers, president of the Maryland Dairy Princess Association.
Taking place during the second of the fair’s three-weekend format, the contest will be part of “dairy weekend” – scheduled between open class dairy cattle shows, judging contests and the 4-H dairy cattle competitions.
“We look forward to the support of dairy enthusiasts who will already be at the fair, but also those who may never have attended the event traditionally held at a hotel in July,” Summers shared.
Local Dairy Princesses from seven regions of the state will compete for the state title with interviews and presentations over a two-day period. They will also participate in numerous dairy events, including the Undeniably Dairy Shake-off with local media personalities and the prestigious Maryland Holstein Futurity.
"Agriculture education and helping to develop the future leaders in our agriculture industry are part of the mission for the Maryland State Fair,” said Maryland State Fair Assistant General Manager David Gordon. “The Dairy Princess Contest has a tradition of sharing these goals and does a wonderful job developing future leaders in the dairy industry. We're excited to host them at the State Fair."
Regional committees are currently recruiting young ladies to participate in their local competitions. The seven regions include: Allegany-Garrett Counties; Washington County; Frederick County; Carroll County; South Central (Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel and all Southern Maryland Counties); Upper Chesapeake (Baltimore, Harford and Cecil Counties); and Eastern Shore (all Shore counties).
The State Princess, Alternate State Princess and team of regional princesses will work together to promote Maryland’s Official Beverage – Milk! They will visit fairs, schools, grocery stores, special events and more, sharing their dairy stories about milk, dairy products and the dairy industry.
The seven regional Dairy Princesses will be selected by June 15th and will receive training for their roles during a July seminar in Pennsylvania.
The Maryland Dairy Princess Association also sponsors a Dairy Maid program that prepares future princesses and provides promotional opportunities for younger dairy enthusiasts between the ages of 9 and 16 years old.
For more information on the Maryland Dairy Princess Program, contact Hope Cencula and Deb Spurrier at mddairyprincess@gmail.com.
