Clay Co. Fair crowns new royalty

The crown has been passed in Clay County.

Fair officials on Sunday named Kamdyn Van Gelder as the 2023 Clay County Fair Queen. She succeeds 2022 queen Autumn Erdman and will assume her royal duties immediately.

For a fair-lover like Van Gelder, the crowning ceremony was a dream come true.

"The fair has always been one of the most exciting times of the entire year for me," she wrote in her queen contestant application. "Some of my best memories have come from past Clay County Fairs."

Van Gelder, of Spencer, is the daughter of Jay and Shantel Van Gelder. She is a junior at Spencer High School and is involved in swim team, mock trial, band, choir, tennis, student council, National Honor Society and youth group.

Van Gelder's ties to the fair run deep. She is a 4-H member and served as the 2022 fair queen runner-up, and she also enjoys showing cattle, rabbits and exhibiting photography.

Addison Wyman, of Spencer, was named runner-up in Sunday's contest. Other contestants included Linnea Bloom, of Marathon, and Aubrie Stell, of Spencer.