LUXEMBURG, Wis. — Megan Salentine is a fan of all things fair-related. From showing livestock with family and friends to emceeing the Kewaunee County Fair auction, the 21-year-old has made some of her favorite memories on the fairgrounds.
As the 2025 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs, Salentine will share her enthusiasm for these popular summertime events with fairgoers across the state.
“Fairs contribute so much to communities and to those who attend,” Salentine said. “I’ve been surrounded by the county fair my entire life. It was a holiday in our household, and I want to be able to share my love for that and show how important fairs are.”
Salentine was crowned Jan. 8 at the annual Wisconsin Association of Fairs convention in Wisconsin Dells. Representing the Kewaunee County Fair, she was one of 33 vying for the title.
Salentine is the daughter of Josh and Jenny Salentine. The Salentines milk 300 cows and farm 600 acres near Luxemburg at Salentine Homestead Dairy, a fifth-generation, century farm.
“On the farm is where my passion for everything dairy began,” Salentine said. “I love dairy, and I love promoting it. I enjoy connecting the producer to the consumer and explaining how a product gets to the grocery store from a hardworking family farm.”
Growing up, Salentine helped with milking cows, feeding calves and taking care of her and her siblings’ registered show herd. Salentine continues to help during college breaks and does the lawn cutting in the summertime.
“My dairy background has given me an incredible avenue to help share the message of fairs,” Salentine said. “I have gotten a front-row seat to see how hardworking and passionate dairy farmers are for their trade and craft in my county and community, and I am proud to be the one to help spread that message.”
The Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs program was created nearly 60 years ago to choose an ambassador for the Wisconsin Association of Fairs. Representing 75 county, district and state fairs in Wisconsin, the association’s mission is to provide innovative programming and resources to its members, enhancing and supporting the vitality of the fair industry and community.
The Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs travels extensively throughout the state promoting the educational, agricultural, social, cultural, and commercial benefits and opportunities available at Wisconsin’s fairs. Salentine will serve a 1-year term in which she will attend over 50 fairs and events throughout Wisconsin.
“I am excited to travel the state, see all the fairs, and meet exhibitors and fairgoers,” Salentine said. “I come from the northeast part of the state and haven’t gotten out of Kewaunee County much. I look forward to seeing what the rest of the state has to offer.”
Salentine will also serve as the official ambassador for the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair and will be present each day of the 11-day event taking place July 31-Aug 10. She will greet fairgoers and other guests, perform as the master of ceremonies for events, participate in various contests, and educate the community about fairs.
During her tenure, Salentine will work with the media, creating online content and engaging in conversations promoting the importance of Wisconsin fairs. In her travels, Salentine will highlight the uniqueness of each county fair and what it offers the state.
Salentine served as Junior Fairest of the Fair for Kewaunee County in 2017 alongside Isabella Haen who went on to become the 2018 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs.
“Isabella was one of my role models for this position, demonstrating the importance of fairs throughout Wisconsin,” Salentine said. “We are the only pair to have served together in the same year at the county level that went on to earn the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs title.”
In 2024, Salentine served as Fairest of the Fairs for Kewaunee County.
“The Kewaunee County community is really special, and this position helped me promote something I love so very much,” she said.
Salentine started taking projects to her county fair as a 4-H cloverbud when she was in kindergarten. As she grew, Salentine immersed herself in everything the fair has to offer — from cake decorating, sewing and quilting to rubber stamping and leather crafting. She also showed swine and dairy with her siblings.
“It was a lot of fun,” Salentine said. “My siblings and I do it together, and although the days were stressful and long, those were some of the fondest memories I have of all of us working together.”
Salentine’s favorite event is the dairy futurity. She also enjoys her county fair’s auction.
“Our community is so well rounded and supportive of our youth in agriculture,” she said.
One of Salentine’s favorite fair memories was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Kewaunee County Fair while serving as Junior Fairest.
“It was a very special year celebrating the history and heritage that brought the county fair together while experiencing it in the Fairest role,” she said.
Early mornings on the wash racks and feeding animals before sunrise with her family of exhibitors are other fair memories Salentine said she cherishes.
“I love the community we built as showmen,” she said. “I look back on those things fondly.”
Although she never showed animals at the state fair, Salentine and her family regularly made the trip down to West Allis every summer, where Salentine’s favorite thing was looking at the animal exhibits.
No trip to the state fair would be complete for Salentine without also taking a ride on the sky glider and getting a cream puff.
“I love the food and the people,” she said. “At the state fair, you see the importance of agriculture and how important it is for our community at a higher level.”
Salentine is a junior at St. Norbert College in DePere studying elementary education and English language arts. In the future, she hopes to teach in a lower elementary school classroom within a rural community.
“I want to continue giving back what my community has given to me and relay the importance of agriculture,” she said. “I want my students to know I grew up on a dairy farm and help them understand where their milk and cheese comes from.”
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