Julie Alison, center, the Albion Strawberry Festival Queen for 2004, and and runners-up Courtney Turpyn, right, and Janet Miller will all participate in the festival's annual parade Saturday. Click on photo for larger image

A strawberry queen is crowned
By Colin McLaughlin-Alcock
Tuesday, June 08, 2026

ALBION — Three talented young ladies sang, performed and wrote their way through the Strawberry Festival Queen Pageant on Monday at Albion Middle School.

Julie Alison was crowned festival queen after she played a song from the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” on her clarinet and told judges about participating in school musicals, service learning and Christian youth conventions.

She and the other two participants, runner-up Courtney Turpyn and second runner-up Janet Miller, will ride in a convertible to lead the Strawberry Festival parade Saturday morning.

Alison also will be awarded a $100 prize, and Turpyn will be awarded $50.

“I thought it was very nice. The girls were very talented and had some good answers to the questions,” said Kathy Ludwick, co-chairwoman of the Strawberry Festival Committee. “We hope to have a few more next year. We hope to grow.”

To participate, the girls had to be a junior or senior in high school and had to fill out an application with two references. The contestants were judged on their talent and their answers to a series of essay questions about community and school involvement.

“It was nerve-racking,” Alison admitted. “When I think about being on stage, I always freak out, but then I got up there and did it and everybody just went away.”

Not bad for somebody who usually hangs out backstage.

“I’m glad I got to run with Janet and Courtney because they’re two great girls,” she said.

Miller and Turpyn said the event was more than a beauty pageant for them.

“This is so much a part of Albion, it would be a real honor,” Turpyn said. “I’ve always wanted to try out since I was very little.”

“I just like anything that has to do with talent,” Miller said. “It’s not about competition. It’s about doing what I love.”

For lead judge and pageant organizer Megan Neal, the event has changed significantly since she was named pageant queen 12 years ago.

“We didn’t have the talent portion,” she said. “Twelve years ago, all the pictures were put in the paper and the community voted for the queen.”
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