2012
♦ The 93rd Apple Blossom Festival was held April 26-May 6.
♦ Royalty were Queen Samantha Allen and princesses Devyn Huylar and Hayley Brown. The other Top 10 finalists were Nikki Schroeder, Aubryann McClune, Christine Reed, Claire Fryhover, Nora Cortez, Lydia Blair and Keisha Engley.
♦ Gwen McQuaig was queen of the junior royalty. Savannah Slife and Megan Creek were princesses.
♦ Adele Haley, a festival princess in 1974, was director general. Applarian chancellor was Kathy Fortner-Lewis.
♦ The Lehman Johnson Award was presented to Don and Debbie Gurnard for their service to the festival.
♦ The annual festival art print was a pastel named “Spring Blossoms” by Wenatchee native Marjorie (Payton) Smith.
♦ For the first time, festival officials offered a beer and wine garden on the final Friday and Saturday of the festival.
♦ “Xanadu,” a story about forbidden romance and roller disco, was Music Theatre of Wenatchee’s festival production. Marlon Browne and Ashley Armstrong were in the lead roles. Others in the cast included John Ryan, Dani Schafer-Cloke, Donna Ercanbrack, Colleen Bowen and Kelly Atwood. Also featured in the finale number were members of the Apple City Roller Derby.
♦ A family truck had special meaning during the festival for Melissa Banning of East Wenatchee. Banning grew up with the truck, which belonged to her father, David Weaver. She inherited it after he passed away in 2011 and later restored it. Her children, Zach and MacKenzie, drove the refurbished 1972 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super in the 2012 Classy Chassis parade — displaying the specialty plate “4Weaver.”
♦ The grand marshal of the Keyes Fibre Youth Parade was Young Life of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. The parade committee chose the organization for being a positive influence in the community for many youths.
♦ Apple Industry Citizen of the Year was Charlie Pomianek.
♦ Grand parade marshal was the Community Foundation of North Central Washington. Grand sweepstakes winner was the Deer Park community float; community sweepstakes went to the Sunnyside float.
2013
♦ The 94th Apple Blossom Festival was held April 25-May 5.
♦ Emily Abbott was queen. Princesses were Madi Still and Maggie Chvilicek. The other Top 10 finalists were Maria Medina, Scarlet Graham, Laurel Jones, Carli Robins, Cassidy Halle, Jenaesha Iwaasa and Lauren Williamson.
♦ Junior royalty were Queen Abby Wilt and princesses Isabel Hyde and Meztli Gonzalez.
♦ Director general was Daryl Ferguson. Applarian chancellor was Jim Adamson.
♦ Homer and Peggy Wolfe received the Lehman Johnson Award.
♦ Steve Still crafted the festival art print.
♦ “Happy Days,” a revival of the classic TV show, was the festival musical produced by Music Theatre of Wenatchee. The cast included Jared Morgan as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, Marcus Stewart as Richie Cunningham, Jacob Scott as Ralph Malph, Josh Rico as Potsie Webber, Zach Savage as Chachi Arcola, Christy Shearer as Marion Cunningham, Jason Rolfs as Howard Cunningham, and Maddy Atwood as Joanie Cunningham.
♦ Attorney, author, politician and orchardist Dale Foreman was named Apple Industry Citizen of the Year.
♦ The CrosSport Warrior Challenge — an obstacle course race over hay bales and logs, through sand, mud and water — took place during the festival, replacing the Jr. Ridge to River Relay for kids. The new Warrior Challenge was also open to adult competitors in the spirit of the Ridge to River Relay, which ended in 2010.
♦ Local comedian and promoter Alex Haley presented an all-day comedy festival in Memorial Park during Apple Blossom.
♦ A local radio station hosted a country music talent search during the festival. The competition was part of the 32nd annual Texaco Country Showdown.
♦ A second festival-sanctioned car show was held with vehicles parked along Wenatchee Avenue between First and Fifth streets. It was called “Vettes and Rods on the Avenue,” organized by the local Corvette Club.
♦ Lewis & Clark took first place in elementary school entries in the youth parade.
♦ Doug Head, retiring regional director for the Children’s Home Society, was grand parade marshal. The Royalty Choice Award went to the float from Cashmere.