McClamroch, Cogdill to Co-Chair Strawberry Festival

The Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival is excited to announce an addition to its leadership team for this year’s event with the appointment of a new co-chair.

The Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival offers a delightful experience characterized by local charm, live entertainment, and activities for children. Jessica McClamroch will serve as chairman and Chris Cogdill will serve as co-chairman for this year’s 52nd Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival which will be held on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 12,13 and 14. 

McClamroch has been involved with the Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival Queen Program for the past 20 years, beginning her journey as a contestant, progressing to Queen, serving as a committee member, and ultimately assuming the role of Director in 2017. This will be her ninth year serving on the committee.

“Stepping into the role of chairman, my focus is building from the foundation already in place,” said McClamroch. “Festival-goers shouldn’t expect sweeping, visible changes – my priority is refining internal processes, supporting the committee behind the scenes, and continuing to learn everything I can about what makes this festival successful. By strengthening how we work internally, our committee can ensure a better experience for our community year after year.” 

As part of this transition, McClamroch is pleased to introduce Chris Cogdill as co-chair for this year’s festival. Cogdill brings fresh perspective, energy and a strong commitment to the festival’s goals, making him an ideal partner in leadership. Cogdill has served on the committee for three years. He has experience in leadership and business, which makes him a great selection for being this year’s co-chair. Chris and his wife Nikki have owned C&F Fabricating for the past 16 years. Chris currently sits on the board at the Montgomery County Boys and Girls Club, is an advisory committee member for West Central Indiana CTE Welding Program, and is a deacon of his church. 

“I agree with Jessica – we aren’t looking to make huge changes,” Cogdill said. “We just want to help the committee make the festival a great experience for all that attend. I had no idea the amount of time and effort that goes into putting the festival on until I started serving on the committee and seeing the amount of people that have dedicated many years, some 30 years or so to this festival, I feel honored to serve alongside them.” said Cogdill. 

As co-chairs, Jessica and Chris will oversee the planning, programming, and execution of the festival, ensuring it remains a positive and memorable experience for all those attending. The other officers for 2026 are Brenda Barton, Secretary; Dale Petrie, Treasurer; and Paul Pfledderer, Executive Director. 

“I’m excited to welcome Chris as my co-chair,” McClamroch said. “I learned last year as the co-chair of the festival that this is a huge commitment, and as someone who is pretty involved in our community, it’s a relief to know I’ve got someone who can help balance the role and understand where we are at as a committee.” 

With this leadership team in place, the Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival looks forward to another successful year of celebration and community connection. 

The full schedule and lineup for the festival will continue to be updated on their website and the committee encourages everyone to follow the festival page on Facebook at “Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival” and on Instagram @cvillestrawberryfest. You can also visit https://crawfordsvillestrawberryfest.com/.