WENATCHEE — A new trio of Wenatchee Valley girls were crowned Apple Blossom Royalty for 2023 at the Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night.
Queen Scarlette Cron, Princess Dylan Schmitten and Princess Natalie Pearson were selected to reign over the 104th Wenatchee State Apple Blossom Festival by five judges. The Top Ten finalists, bit.ly/3jAOQ7X, took the stage at the Numerica Performing Arts Center, vying for the crowns and to represent the community. The candidates delivered a prepared speech, as well as taking on a round of impromptu questions in front of the packed audience.
Fabulous Feet dancers warm up and get ready to perform at the beginning of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023. A slide show is projected to the audience on the other side of the screen showing previous year's royalty including this photograph of last year's queen Rianne Salcido.
Dylan Schmitten walks out to the stage of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023 with her escort. She later was selected as a princess for this year's royalty.
Photo gallery: Apple Blossom Royalty Selection Pageant
the 2023 Apple Blossom Royalty were selected Saturday night in the annual pageant.
Apple Blossom Top Ten candidates receive a gift of a traveling jewelry case from last year's royalty before the Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Fabulous Feet dancers warm up and get ready to perform at the beginning of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023. A slide show is projected to the audience on the other side of the screen showing previous year's royalty including this photograph of last year's queen Rianne Salcido.
Dylan Schmitten walks out to the stage of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023 with her escort. She later was selected as a princess for this year's royalty.
Natalie Pearson speaks on the stage of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023. She later was selected as a princess for this year's royalty.
Scarlette Cron speaks on the stage of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023. She later was selected as the queen for this year's royalty.
Dylan Schmitten speaks on the stage of the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023. She later was selected as a princess for this year's royalty.
Washington State Apple Blossom Top Ten candidates pose for pictures they take backstage as they wait for the judges' results at the pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Washington State Apple Blossom Top Ten candidates come together to hold hands backstage as they wait for the judges' results at the pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Washington State Apple Blossom Top Ten candidates share a hug backstage as they wait for the judges' results at the pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Dylan Schmitten is crowned princess by last year Princess Ainsley Shearer at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Natalie Pearson hears her name announced as a princess at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Scarlette Cron hears her name announced as the queen at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Queen Scarlette Cron is crowned by last year Queen Rianne Salcido at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Queen Scarlette Cron speaks to the audience at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Queen Scarlette Cron is hugged by Top Ten candidates after the curtain is closed at the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival Royalty Selection Pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
The 2023 Washington State Apple Blossom Royalty from left, Princess Dylan Schmitten, Queen Scarlette Cron, and Princess Natalie Pearson pose after they were selected at the pageant Saturday night, Feb. 11, 2023.
Cron, the daughter of Adrienne Andersen and Matt Regan and Tobias and Marcia Cron, was named queen and plans to attend Western Washington University to major in sociology.
“I’m most looking forward to having younger girls in the community be able to look up to me and set a really good example for them as to how you should lead and what a positive role model looks like at our age,” Cron said during an interview. “Try to send out positive messages about self esteem.”
Pearson, daughter of Travis and Kristen Pearson, was named princess and post-graduation plans to attend Eastern Washington University in a dental hygiene program.
“I think service leadership is the ability to put others before yourself when you are being a leader,” Pearson said during the impromptu question round.
Schmitten, daughter of Brandon and Shannon Schmitten, was named princess and plans to attend Boise State University and major in education.
“I learned (about myself in this experience) that I’m able to do a lot more than I think I’m capable of,” Schmitten said in an interview.
Over $31,000 in scholarships was doled out to the Top Ten finalists who competed in the pageant. As queen, Cron, pocketed a $10,000 scholarship, which was provided by the Wenatchee Applarians, a pool of local ambassadors who support the Wenatchee Valley Apple Blossom Festival. Both princesses, Schmitten and Pearson, received a $5,000 scholarship. Each finalist was awarded at least $1,000 in scholarships.
In other honors:
- Sophia Kinniger won the Achievement Award.
- Kendall Flanagan took home the Most Photogenic Award.
- Elisha Bartlett received the Community Involvement Award.
- Hannia Hernandez-Mendoza was awarded the Congeniality Award.
- Finnley Ottley won the Most Original Speech Award.
Kathy and Mark Lewis were selected for the Leman Johnson Award, which highlights exceptional volunteerism.
For the 2023 royalty, the upcoming agenda is slated with over 180 appearances at local events, parades across the state and community luncheons to represent the Wenatchee Valley. Royalty will also be featured in the Apple Blossom Festival’s Stemilt Grand parade, set for May 6. The festival will run from April 27-May 7.
