Sandy Queen Shannon Montgomery: 50 Years of Festival Service

Shannon Montgomery never wanted the spotlight, but after 50 years of service to her Oregon community, the crown found her anyway.

The newly appointed queen of Sandy's 2026 Mountain Festival has spent most of her life making sure others could enjoy the celebration her late mother helped create. At age 12, she started volunteering at the event. Now in her 60s, she still sells decorative cookies even though she officially retired from the organizing group.

"In a lot of ways this festival is my heritage," Montgomery said. "It is four days out of the year, and it brings our city to life."

Her mother, Lynn Ellis, co-founded the Sandy Mountain Festival when Shannon was just a child. The first event featured 50 artists and required volunteers to clear Meinig Park of overgrown shrubs and blackberry brambles. What started as a Chamber of Commerce project to draw visitors became a community tradition.

When her mother passed away at age 20, Montgomery stepped up. She has served as chair, artist coordinator, park manager, and countless other roles to keep the festival thriving for more than five decades.

"What I love about the festival is it's a community gathering place," she said. "If you went to high school here, you will run into people at the park. It is like a big family reunion."

Montgomery's service extends far beyond the festival. She co-chairs the annual Sandy Kiwanis Christmas Basket Program with her husband Martin, distributing 275 boxes this past holiday season. Her involvement comes full circle: as a child, her own family received support and toys from Kiwanis.

She worked as a web coordinator at Mt. Hood Community College for 20 years and still teaches there as an adjunct professor. Before discovering her unexpected talent for technology, she cut hair in Sandy for nine years.

Sunny's Take

Montgomery's story reminds us that community builders often come from families who teach service by example. When she started volunteering as a preteen, she was simply helping her mom. Decades later, that small beginning grew into a lifetime of bringing people together.

The crown may have surprised her, but it fits perfectly on someone who has spent 50 years making sure her community had reasons to celebrate.