MONROE - Green County celebrated its most important industry in Browntown on Saturday.
The Dairy Day events brought people from all across the county to celebrate the dairy industry and see the new dairy queen and princess crowned at the Browntown park.
The Dairy Day is in a different Green County community each year. Fire trucks, floats, veterans, Boy Scouts of America, 4-H clubs and local dairy queens took part in the parade.
Breinne Hendrickson, Belleville, was crowned the 2008-08 Green County dairy queen.
"This has been a dream of mine since I was little," Hendrickson said.
DeeDee Nieman, Brodhead, was selected Green County dairy princess.
"I really can't believe this right now," she said.
Outgoing princess Leah Douglas said she enjoyed her year as princess, and there were a lot of people to thank.
"I'm going to stop now before I start to cry again," she said.
Diane Schlafli and Julene Elmer were honored as junior and senior ag women, respectively.
For many of the children along the parade route, chasing candy was the highlight of the event, but they cheered and encouraged the fire truck driver to honk his horn or turn on the siren as he drove past.
People along the parade route saluted and took pictures as the local dairy queens drove past with their chaperones. All of the queens had someone in the crowd from their home towns and smiled when they recognized friends.
"This is a big event for Browntown," Green County District Attorney Gary Luhman, a Browntown resident, said as he manned the Ag Chest trailer. "Of course, ice cream sales have been brisk."
The Dairy Day events brought people from all across the county to celebrate the dairy industry and see the new dairy queen and princess crowned at the Browntown park.
The Dairy Day is in a different Green County community each year. Fire trucks, floats, veterans, Boy Scouts of America, 4-H clubs and local dairy queens took part in the parade.
Breinne Hendrickson, Belleville, was crowned the 2008-08 Green County dairy queen.
"This has been a dream of mine since I was little," Hendrickson said.
DeeDee Nieman, Brodhead, was selected Green County dairy princess.
"I really can't believe this right now," she said.
Outgoing princess Leah Douglas said she enjoyed her year as princess, and there were a lot of people to thank.
"I'm going to stop now before I start to cry again," she said.
Diane Schlafli and Julene Elmer were honored as junior and senior ag women, respectively.
For many of the children along the parade route, chasing candy was the highlight of the event, but they cheered and encouraged the fire truck driver to honk his horn or turn on the siren as he drove past.
People along the parade route saluted and took pictures as the local dairy queens drove past with their chaperones. All of the queens had someone in the crowd from their home towns and smiled when they recognized friends.
"This is a big event for Browntown," Green County District Attorney Gary Luhman, a Browntown resident, said as he manned the Ag Chest trailer. "Of course, ice cream sales have been brisk."