Montana Cochran crowned Miss Lincoln Strawberry Festival | Loudoun Times-Mirror

BY KAREN GRAHAM

In 2024, the community of Lincoln collaborated with Wegmeyer Farms to launch a hometown strawberry festival.This year, they started a new tradition by crowning a Miss Strawberry Festival on March 20 at a gathering at Endhardt Winery.Montana Cochran, a Lincoln native and former Miss Teen Virginia, was crowned by Harriet Wegmeyer of the Wegmeyer Farms Foundation and Brian Burgher, president of the Lincoln Community League, according to a news release.

The crowning marks the launch of the Miss Lincoln Strawberry Festival Scholarship Program, an initiative designed to support young women while strengthening community engagement and leadership.

Beginning next year, applicants from Loudoun and Clarke Counties will be invited to participate in a formal interview process, with selected candidates competing not only for the title but also for scholarship opportunities that support educational goals.

The scholarship initiative is being developed in partnership with the Wegmeyer Farm Foundation.

As the inaugural titleholder, Cochran will help define the role during its first year while serving as an ambassador for the festival and the Lincoln community. 

The festival is scheduled for May 15–17 at Wegmeyer Farms, and features strawberry picking, pancake breakfasts, pie- and ice-cream-eating contests, live entertainment and other family-friendly events.

Funds raised through the festival support several local nonprofits and community initiatives.

More information is available at lincolnstrawberryfestival.com