Each November the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® officially kicks off the upcoming festival with a celebratory gathering of supporters where the Festival President debuts anannual theme. The unveiling is the foundation for building momentum through a series of events and special guest announcements through the winter and early-spring months that lead up to the Festivalwhich takes place from April 24 to May 3, 2026.
Hosted by the Festival’s Apple Club, the annual theme announcement is an anticipated and celebrated tradition. The development, design and message of the theme is a collaborate process and reflects a fond tradition, detailed imagery and a catchy phrase endeared by the Festival President.
Jeremy Luttrell, Festival President states, “Each spring, Winchester, Virginia bursts into color as the Shenandoah Valley celebrates one of its most beloved traditions, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®. Every year, the festival president has the privilege of carefully selecting a theme that captures the community’s spirit, values, and hopes for the season ahead. For 2026, that theme is “Keep Blooming Together.”
In honor of the festival’s enduring spirit of unity and growth, and just like the apple blossoms that return each year, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® continues to flourish through the dedication, cooperation, and support of the volunteers, buisnesses and citizens of Winchester and Frederick County. Nothing symbolizes togetherness better than the theme’s logo, a simple puzzle piece.
The logo celebrates strength, unity, and renewal and reminds residents and visitors that the festival is more than parades and parties; it’s a way of connecting and bringing our community together and reminding them how local traditions flourish when the community stands united.
The theme also encourages growth beyond the festival, supporting local businesses, fostering friendships and partnerships, and embracing the beauty of Winchester’s heritage. From long-time residents to first-time guests, everyone plays a part in keeping the Apple Blossom spirit alive.
As the 99th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival approaches, “Keep Blooming Together” promises to set the tone for a season of togetherness, celebration, and resilience as we approach a century of apple blossoms.
Just remember that the best blossoms are the ones that bloom together…”
The 99th theme is once again designed by the Festival’s talented Creative and Graphic Designer, Erik Zimmerman. In describing the theme design, Zimmerman states, “Every theme provides an exciting challenge. President, Jeremy Luttrell, started discussions in June, and agreed on “Keep Blooming Together” as our title. Jeremy had the idea of a puzzle to illustrate unity. After several variations and renditions, we finalized the theme logo as puzzle pieces inside of a blossom shape, along with the pin design as one puzzle piece which as everyone wears a pin they are all blooming together. The program cover was quite the undertaking, as we both decided on showcasing all the past program covers and making it look like a puzzle. The past 20 covers I had designed so those were easily accessible, but the previous 70+ needed to be scanned from archive. Special thanks to Handley Regional Library for helping us with some of the first few programs that they had available in their archives. The final design was exactly how it was envisioned, the past 98 years all put together.”
This year’s annual theme announcement unveiling is presented by Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury and hosted in the tasting room at Vibrissa.
Tickets to many events will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Tickets can be purchased online at www.thebloom.com. Make plans now to join us for the 99thShenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® from April 24 to May 3, 2026.
