Megan Salentine’s eyes were full of happy tears Wednesday night as she became a former Fairest for the third time.

Salentine’s reign as Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair came to an end Wednesday evening at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, as Kenosha County Fairest of the Fair Kaelie Billingsley was crowned her successor as the 60th Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs.

Salentine said hosting portions of the competition and visiting with dozens of other young women vying for the title allowed her not only to reflect on her term as state Fairest, but also on her time representing Kewaunee County as its Fairest and Junior Fairest. Her time donning a crown spanned everything from Kewaunee County hosting the 2017 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days during her tenure as Junior Fairest to weathering a major storm that canceled the final day of the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair.

She expressed how blessed she felt to have served in the Fairest role as she addressed a full ballroom to close out Wednesday’s event.

Afterward, Salentine said it was easy to give up the crown because she knows how the experience can change someone’s life, just as it did for her. She added that this moment does not mark a goodbye to the fair industry.

Salentine will wrap up her senior year at St. Norbert College before entering the workforce as a teacher later this year. The 2026 Wisconsin State Fair runs Aug. 6–16 at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.