And more photos from the 2026 Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society Fall Fair
Kali Tessier has been chosen as the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society’s Fair Ambassador for 2026-2027, succeeding Alexis Latter, the first young person to hold the title since it replaced the now-retired honour of Fair Queen.
For 18-year-old Tessier, the yearlong role is an opportunity to get out into the community even more—and maybe even take the chance to share her passion for fishing and the great outdoors.
“Over the course of my year as fair ambassador, I’m looking forward to just being out in my community more, being more involved, seeing more people, putting myself out there more,” Tessier told The Times.
“I already do that, but I just feel like I can never do too much. I enjoy volunteering, even after I graduate high school and no longer need my hours anymore. I like to be out in my community and just also promoting the things I enjoy at the fair, because I feel like a lot of people just think of the rides, and that the fair is so much more than that.”
Tessier said she plans to leverage her outdoorsy side as ambassador.
“I really enjoy sports and being outside. I really like fishing, and I think I wanted to be the ambassador just because I’m already out in the community lots, doing lots of volunteering. I fish and volunteer at the Emo Walleye Classic every year, so I kind of just wanted to further that and be more involved. And being the ambassador lets me do that more.”
Former fair ambassador Latter said she will be available to Tessier as a mentor and guide as Tessier steps into the role, announced last Saturday ahead of the Mini King and Queen contest at the 2026 fair in Emo.
As for Latter, “her role does not simply end,” fair host Sis Wilson said during the announcement.
“One of the most meaningful parts about being an ambassador in the community is to share experience, offer guidance, and mentor the next person who takes on this role. This mentorship is a beautiful way to continue the tradition. It will be a way to build our future and inspire others along the way.”
The RRVAS fair committee’s message to Tessier was to embrace the opportunity and make it her own.
“Kali, our fair ambassador, stands for community spirit, kindness, leadership, volunteerism, inclusion, and pride for our local traditions,” said Wilson. “Kali will be a very positive role model who will bring people together and will celebrate the many individuals, families and businesses that make our fair and community possible.”
Before becoming fair ambassador, Tessier was also involved in the final fair queen competition, finishing third, being named second princess and Miss Congeniality.
“I live in Devlin with my mom, and her name is Jody, and then my proud father is Jason Tessier. I was the second princess and Miss Congeniality the last year that the Emo fair queen program was run,” Tessier said.
As for what she enjoys about the fair itself, Tessier said the Mini King and Queen contest is a highlight as well as the 4-H steer auction.
“I have a few favourite parts; I really enjoy the mini king and queen contest. I think it’s one of the funniest things ever! I was also in the mini queen contest when I was little,” she said. “Then I also really like the steer auction. My dad used to always buy a steer when I was little, actually for years. And it’s just something I’ve always been a part of. I’ve never bought anything; I just always go sit there and watch, and I like that buying the beef supports the kids [who raise the cattle].”
Tessier said it was ambassador program co-ordinator Mary Croswell who encouraged her to apply, even adding a bit more pressure through Tessier’s mother.
“Mary, I’ve known her previously, so she reached out to me many times and wanted me to apply, and I wasn’t supposed to be home for the fair weekend, so I wasn’t going to apply for it. Then Mary texted my mom, actually, and kind of put a little bit more pressure on me,” Tessier said.
“So I did. And I just wrote an essay about why I thought I would have been a good candidate for fair ambassador, and why I should do it. Then I went through the interview process with judges from the fair board. I answered some of their questions, which were very simple. Just very simple things about what I think a leader is and everything. It was not difficult at all. And I encourage everybody that thinks about applying to apply.”
Over the course of the year, Tessier will have the opportunity to be involved in the planning for the 2027 fair as well as learn about the behind-the-scenes aspects of the Rainy River District staple event and share what goes into it.
“I feel like there’s so much behind-the-scenes work that nobody really sees,” she said. “Even myself, there’s a lot of things that I don’t know. I don’t know how the Exhibition Hall is judged. I want to learn how a piece of rhubarb is judged in the Exhibition Hall. So I think by being the ambassador, I want to promote the things that aren’t always seen at the fair, and I hope that during my time I can do that, and also just make it more than the rides and the food.”
