Elk Mound graduate Maria Heltne named Dunn County’s second Fairest of the Fair

By Cara L. Dempski

MENOMONIE — A member of Elk Mound’s Class of 2017 was named the 2018 Dunn County Fairest of the Fair Sunday afternoon in Menomonie.

Even better? She is the second Mounder to be crowned with the title in just the second year of the competition.

Eighteen-year-old Maria Heltne, daughter of Billy and Betty Heltne, was chosen July 30 to succeed 2017 Fairest of the Fair, Alexus Grossbier.

Grossbier graduated from Elk Mound High School in 2013 and currently studies psychology at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities.

In order to be selected as Fairest of the Fair, contestants need to be at least 18 years of age by the first day of the current year’s fair, must have a valid Wisconsin driver’s license and good driving record, cannot have been convicted of a felony, and reside in Dunn County. Persons living outside the county can compete if the majority of their fair and/or school activities are in Dunn County.

Contestants also need to be in attendance for each day of fair, and available for appearances and media interviews as necessary throughout the year. One of the Fairest’s main tasks is promoting the fair and all it offers to the community.

Heltne will put in plenty of appearances on local radio and television stations over the next year, and will attend local events to promote the fair. She will be a contestant in the January 2019 Fairest of the Fairs.

She said she was nervous, but is very excited to have won and be able to spend one more year at her county fair. Heltne will be a freshman at St. Cloud State University this fall, and plans to study Communication Sciences and Disorders.