City, Others Celebrate Successful Mayor’s Ball

The City of Crawfordsville is proud to announce the tremendous success of the Inaugural Mayor’s Ball, presented by C&F Fabricating, held Thursday evening, May 7, at the newly opened IRA Whiskey facility. The event welcomed community leaders, residents, sponsors, and supporters for an unforgettable evening that celebrated growth, philanthropy and community pride.

“Thursday evening was a true celebration of what makes Crawfordsville special … community, partnership, and a shared commitment to investing in our future,” Mayor Todd Barton said. “From the incredible opening of IRA Whiskey to the overwhelming generosity shown in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County, this event showcased the very best of our city. We are grateful to everyone who helped make the inaugural Mayor’s Ball such a meaningful success, and we look forward to building on this tradition for years to come.”

The evening began with an exclusive ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for IRA Whiskey, officially opening the doors of one of Crawfordsville’s newest and most exciting developments. IRA Whiskey is a premium aging and supply facility dedicated to whiskey maturation, custom blending, and exclusive bottling. Located on a state-of-the-art campus at 110 Whiskey Row, the facility blends modern industrial innovation with Indiana heritage and represents significant investment in Crawfordsville’s future. The campus also includes the Barrel Room, a premier event venue designed to host weddings, corporate gatherings and special events.

“Just over two years ago, the Weaver family chose to further invest in Montgomery County with the investment of a state-of-the-art bourbon aging facility featuring 10,000-barrel storage capacity along with a bourbon plaza and amazing wedding and event center.  Bryan Fong led the project’s scope and development and partnered with the city and Keystone Development,” said Tim Ingle, GM of IRA Whiskey and President of Weaver Popcorn. “Today, we see the result of tremendous efforts to bring this campus to life.  Every detail was meticulously thought out to complement the nearby Brickyard Park and offer the region something very unique and special for generations to come.  The city and county have been incredible to partner with, and as a result, we are proud to be the host to the Inaugural Mayor’s Ball to help support this local community and be a great new partner.”

Following the ribbon cutting, guests attended the Inaugural Mayor’s Ball, a Roaring ‘20s-inspired evening featuring live jazz music by the Noblesville Moontown Pickle Stompers, heavy hors d’oeuvres from the Juniper Spoon, signature cocktails, a silent auction, and remarks from community leaders and keynote speaker Jake Gilbert, Head Football Coach at Wabash College.

Most importantly, the event served as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County, with all proceeds benefiting the organization’s mission to provide mentorship, educational support, leadership development, and safe after-school opportunities for local youth.

Through ticket sales, sponsorships, silent auction participation, and generous donations, the event raised $39,101.25to directly benefitthe Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County.

Boys & Girls Club of Montgomery County CEO, Gina Haile reflects on the importance of events like this.

“This event is more than a fundraiser, it’s an investment in the future of our community,” said Haile. “We are incredibly grateful to the City of Crawfordsville for their leadership and investment in our youth. The success of this event will directly expand opportunities for the young people in Montgomery County, ensuring they have access to a safe place, caring mentors, and life-changing programs.”

Mayor Barton praised the evening’s success and the community support behind it.

The City of Crawfordsville extends sincere appreciation to all sponsors whose generosity helped make the event a success:

• Bootlegger Title Sponsor: C&F Fabricating
• Speakeasy Elite Sponsors: Acuity Brands, IRA Whiskey, The Juniper Spoon
• Jazz Society Sponsors: Hoosier Heartland State Bank, Taylor Minnette Schneider & Clutter Law, HWC Engineering
• Prohibition Patron Sponsors: Keystone Group, The Paper of Montgomery County
• Champagne Toast Sponsors: DES Engineering, United Consulting

The city also thanks the many silent auction donors, volunteers, and community members who supported the inaugural event.

With the success of the first Mayor’s Ball, city staff look forward to continuing this new tradition of bringing together the community to celebrate Crawfordsville while investing in causes that strengthen the city’s future.