86th Theme Announcement

‘Love To Bloom’ Is 2013 Festival Theme

By F.C. LOWE
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Love is all around the state of Virginia, and now it is making an appearance at the 86th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

“Love to Bloom” is the theme for the 2013 spring celebration, set for April 26 to May 5. The announcement was made Wednesday night at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury.

President Lou Ann Thompson made the proclamation — her first duty as this year’s top official — as she alluded to the theme by giving thanks from the “bottom of her heart” to the 100 strong in attendance.

Thompson continued with the clues as she mentioned her father, Jim Judy, who she said instilled her love for Apple Blossom.

Her final hint came as she enthusiastically reminded everyone about the visitors to Apple Blossom at the various events and why they come — “they love to bloom.”

The theme committee, made up of chairmen of Apple Blossom divisions, collaborated for several months to come up with the idea, and 25 to 30 suggestions were whittled down to one, Thompson said.

“I think this theme is going to appeal to a wide range of people, including volunteers, visitors, Apple Club members, and will translate well to all age groups,” she said. “People loving to bloom at the events brings it all together.”

A member of the theme selection committee and chairman of celebrities, Kay Bolliger — adorned in a heart-shaped necklace — loves the theme and said it is a great tie to the state.

“Everyone has a story about why they celebrate, and the word bloom is synonymous with the festival.”

For the first time, a heart shape will adorn the pin and cover of the program to enhance the theme message, Thompson said.

“We talked about the Love Virginia campaign that is all over the Internet,” said John Rosenberger, executive director of the festival. “That tied into Love to Bloom.”

Virginia has used the theme Virginia Is for Lovers for years and artwork with the word love has popped up around the state. So the festival committee felt it was an apt theme for the festival, he said.

This is the 15th consecutive themed festival in the modern era, Rosenberger said. “There were themes from time to time in the past ... but the real heyday of an officially chosen theme has been from 1999 to the present.”

The festival’s publicity and promotion committee and the Apple Club sponsored the theme announcement party.

Brochures with ticket purchase forms are available at the festival office at 135 N. Cameron St. For more information, call 540-662-3863.

Although official festival events don’t begin until next year, a Volunteer Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the OakCrest Building, 126 N. Kent St., Winchester. The public is invited to attend and find out more about the festival from committee chairs and volunteers.

BACK