2014
♦ The 95th Apple Blossom Festival was held April 24-May 4.
♦ Roslyn Thompson was queen. Nikara Morgan and Caroline Dahl were the princesses. The other Top 10 finalists were Katie Hoag, Emily Millard, Lupe Martinez, Amber Frodsham, Olivia Janney, Gabe Mercer and Madison Ransford.
♦ Alex Toth was queen of the junior royalty. Princesses were Josefina Albert and Katherine Loomis.
♦ Pat McDonald was director general. Applarian chancellor was Rolfe Ogle.
♦ The Lehman Johnson Award for service to the festival went to Fred and Ann Deal. Ann was festival queen in 1958.
♦ Barbara Bell Monroe appeared at the Antique Mall of Wenatchee to sign copies of her book, “Once Upon an Apple Blossom Time.” Monroe was a 1951 festival princess.
♦ Local artist Claudia Wiggins created the official festival art print.
♦ “Children of Eden” was the festival musical presented by Music Theatre of Wenatchee. Amy Edwards was in the lead role as Eve. The production was directed by John Mausser and his daughter Tiffany Mausser.
♦ The Apple Blossom 125 was held at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval.
♦ Kirk Mayer, manager of the Washington Growers Clearing House Association, was the Apple Industry Citizen of the Year.
♦ When the float that was to carry the junior royalty in the youth parade had a malfunction, former Chelan County Public Works Director Lloyd Berry drove his pink Cadillac convertible for the trio.
♦ Winners of the Apple Blossom Run were Seth Pierson and Maggie Rivera, 5k; and Bennett Grimes and Selina Danko, 10k.
♦ The festival grand marshals were Bob Parlette, Dr. Eliot Scull and the late Gordon Congdon Sr. They were chosen for their roles in conservation and the development of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. Congdon, who died in 2001, was the first in festival history to receive the honor posthumously. He was represented by his daughters Ann Congdon and Connie McCauley.
2015
♦ The 96th Apple Blossom Festival was held April 23-May 3.
♦ Gabby Waterman was queen. Princesses were Francesca Nevil and Anissa Sangster. The other Top 10 finalists were Logan Harper, Sierra Hedding, Emma Standerford, Kelly Strang, Sarah Kneadler, Maddy Atwood and Haley Bush.
♦ Junior royalty queen was Ava Vasquez. Princesses were Lauren Kert and Ashleigh Willoughby.
♦ Director general was Dave Herald. Applarian chancellor was Ed Womack.
♦ Dennis and Sharron Johnson were presented the Lehman Johnson Award.
♦ The festival art print was done by local artist Nicki Isaacson.
♦ A piece of artwork honoring the city's longstanding apple blossom traditions was placed at the new median strip at Orondo Avenue and Columbia Street. The “Apple Blossom Monument” was made of fabricated steel and topped by a hand-forged sculpture of two flowers.
♦ The royal court participated in Wenatchee High School ASB's second-annual Panther Dancing with the Stars, part of which was held on the Memorial Park stage. Queen Gabby was paired with Mayor Frank Kuntz; Princess Francesca with Ben Paine, founder of Keep It In the Valley; and Princess Anissa with Darren Goehner, associate vice president at D.A. Davidson.
♦ The Portland Royal Rosarians held an official rose-planting ceremony at Triangle Park in honor of local community leaders.
♦ The arts and crafts fair in Memorial Park marked its 40th year.
♦ The all-ages inaugural Wenatchee Urban Mile was held.
♦ Music Theatre of Wenatchee presented the festival musical "Monty Python's Spamalot." The cast included Cody Gillin, Dave Williams, Matt Cadman and Nancy Zahn.
♦ Jay Brunner, entomologist and director of Washington State University's Tree Fruit Research Center, was the Apple Industry Citizen of the Year.
♦ Head Start Services took the Best Daycare/Preschool Award in the youth parade.
♦ Wenatchee Valley College was named the grand parade marshal, in honor of its 75th anniversary. WVC President Jim Richardson represented the college riding in the grand parade, followed by representatives from each department.