Efren Ramirez, Actor, “Pedro” has been “Elected” As Court Ambassador for Queen’s Coronation4/9/2024
Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®, announces that the Festival did “Vote for Pedro”, and Efren Ramirez has been “elected” as Court Ambassador for the Coronation of Queen-elect, Joy Berlanga. It was his memorable portrayal of “PEDRO” in the feature film, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, that dramatically launched what has become a hugely prolific acting career with an unusually diverse series of performances in Film, Television, Drama, Comedy…every imaginable medium and genre. Efren Ramirez has been working as a professional actor for the entirety of his adult life. Initially, his career consisted of guest appearances on television, as he appeared in diverse character roles on E.R., American Dad, Judging Amy, The District, Boston Public, and Scrubs. In the years since that film was released, Efren Ramirez has appeared in scores of films and network television shows including leading roles in the HBO film, Walkout, with Edward James Olmos, Employee of the Month opposite Dane Cook and Dax Shepard, Crank and Crank High Voltage opposite Jason Statham; (playing his own twin brother in the sequel), Gamer with Gerard Butler, When in Rome with Kristen Bell, House of My Father opposite Will Farrell, HBO’s Eastbound and Down with Danny McBride, Middle School with Lauren Graham and Andy Daly, Ice with Jeremy Sisto, Perpetual Grace LTD with Sir Ben Kingsley, Monsters of God with Garret Dillahunt, and FBI Most Wanted with Dillon McDermott. Efren’s range of voiceover work consists of countless characters in such animated series as “Bordertown”, “The Casagrande’s”, “Robot Chicken”, “American Dad”, and the animated series of “Napoleon Dynamite”. He can presently be seen in DISNEY/PIXAR’s highly anticipated animated film, “Lightyear” playing “Airman Diaz” opposite Chris Evans. Most recently Efren has appeared in the HBO MAX series Made for Love and stars in the upcoming films, 7 Cemeteries, Due Justice and Satanic Hispanic. Ramirez currently resides in Los Angeles and New York. When he isn’t filming, he is spinning records as a Celeb D.J. across the country. He has published his first book, Direct Your Own Life. He has participated in a USO TOUR visiting our troops around the world. He frequently speaks to students at high schools and universities. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will host a 20th anniversary screening of Napoleon Dynamite with Efren Ramirez on Sunday, May 5. The film screening will be an Alamo “Movie Party”, meaning all guests will get “Vote For Pedro” buttons and other interactive props. The event with feature a live Q&A after the film, as well as a pre-film reception for VIP ticket holders. Tickets and event details will be available at www.drafthouse.com/winchester starting Wednesday, April 10. Efren will be at the Coronation presented by Morgan Orthodontics on Friday, May 3, at 1:30 pm. and then ride in the Hang 10 Firefighters’ Parade at 5:30 p.m. and the glo fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. The selection of Princesses to serve in the Court of Queen Shenandoah XCVII for the 2024 Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® has been announced by festival officials. The princesses include Berkley Ilise Bennett, Alexandra Grace Gluszak, Ella Leilani Kiesewalter, Hannah Grace Lloyd, and Averi Grace Thomas. Berkley Bennet is the daughter of Candice and Erich Bennett of Luray, VA. She is the granddaughter of Barbara and Charles Griffin of Littiz, PA and Eileen and Jon Bennett of Norfolk, VA. She is a senior representing Randolph-Macon Academy. She is a varsity letter recipient in volleyball and basketball, serving as captain her junior and senior years. She serves as vice president of the Science National Honor Society as well as the Student Life Committee. Berkley is a member of Luray United Methodist Church and has participated in multiple community service projects. Alexandra “Alexa” Gluszak is the daughter of Jeanette and Thomas Gluszak of Winchester, VA. She is the granddaughter of Mary and Ron Mater of Allegany, NY, Thomas D. Gluszak of Ashville, NY, and the late Leslie Gluszak. Alexa is a senior representing John Handley High School. She has served for four years as the Class of 2024 Student Government vice president. Alexa was named as second team 4A All District for the varsity volleyball team and served as captain for the 2023-2024 season. She is a four-year A honor roll recipient and is the leader of the Class of 2024 project. Additional credentials include selection as the 2023 Homecoming Queen, coordinator of the INOVA blood drive, and membership in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Ella Kiesewalter is the daughter of Abigail and Torsten Kiesewalter of Cross Junction, VA. She is the granddaughter of Sandra Barr of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, Christa Jamieson of Homberg, Germany, and the late Randy Barr and Ulrich Kiesewalter. Ella is a senior representing James Wood High School where she is an Honors/AP student. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a varsity letter recipient in cross country and track, and was selected as the 2023 Homecoming Queen. Ella attends Compass Community Church. Hannah Lloyd is the daughter of Sarah Lloyd and Chad Lloyd, both of Winchester. She is the granddaughter of Carla and Tom Lettis of Virginia Beach, VA and the late Charlotte and Joe Lloyd. She is a senior representing Millbrook High School where she has received academic honors. Hannah has served as treasurer of the National Honor Society, as president of Educators Rising and is a member of the Millbrook High School Choral Department. She was named the sociology student of the year and participated in the 2023 Homecoming Court. Averi Thomas is the daughter of Kimberly and Darren Thomas of Stephens City, VA. She is the granddaughter of Darlene and Robert Thomas of Johnstown, PA and the late Barbara and John Sherbondy. She is a senior representing Sherando High School where she served as Senior Class Vice President, is a four-year honor roll recipient, and member of the National Honor Society. Averi participated in the junior Homecoming Court and was named Queen for her senior year. Averi is a varsity letter recipient for both soccer and basketball and is a student leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is an officer for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and a national qualifier for FCCLA state conference. Averi is a member of the national honor society for 2023 and 2024. Averi participates on travel soccer for Blue Ridge United, travel basketball for Supreme Game Changers, and is a member of the Victory Church youth ministry band. The Princesses will accompany Queen Shenandoah XCVII and her Court to all Festival functions throughout the 97th Festival scheduled for April 26 to May 5, 2024. They will participate in the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah presented by Morgan Orthodontics on Friday, May 3, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. at John Handley High School. They will attend the Queen's Ball and Dance Party Presented by Insurance Center of Winchester, to celebrate the coronation of Queen Shenandoah XCVII on Friday, May 3rd at 8:30 pm at The George Washington Hotel Grand Ball Room. They will ride on the Royal Float in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade scheduled at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 4, 2024.
Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is honored to welcome Jon Huertas back to his hometown to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2024 Festival. Jon Huertas is known professionally as an actor, director, and producer. In his hometown, when he graduated from John Handley High School in 1987, he was known as Scott Hofstedt. For six seasons, Jon starred as Miguel Rivas on NBC’s critically acclaimed, award winning series, This Is Us. His character’s story spanned decades, from the 1970’s to present day, not just allowing Jon to show exceptional range as an actor but also an impressive physically trans-formative range. Audiences also know Jon from his role as the tough but affable, Detective Javier Esposito on the hit dramedy, Castle, which ran for eight seasons on ABC and can now be found on Hulu. He and his Castle co-star, Stana Katic, received the award for Best Performance in a Drama Episode in the 16th Annual PRISMS Awards. He had a stand-out performance as Sgt. Tony “Poke” Espera in HBO’s limited series, “Generation Kill”, which offered an unheralded streetwise view of the USMC's 1st Recon invasion of Iraq that Jon, being a veteran himself, calls the most meaningful role of his career. As a filmmaker, Jon’s directed episodic television, including episodes of Tracker, The Irrational, This Is Us, The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, The Company You Keep, Home for The Holidays Castle and Castle. DVD Bonus Content, as well as award winning short films and music videos. He has produced narrative and documentary feature films, earning him an appointment to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. And his production shingle, WestSide Stories, formed with his fellow Groundlings alum Kenny Stevenson, has several TV, Podcast and Film projects in various stages of production and development. He most recently produced Lena Heady’s feature directorial debut, The Trap, and is currently preparing for his own feature debut as a director with the feature films, Rock Bottom Express and Defenses. His company has several series in development with Peter Farrelly/Happy Madison & Village Roadshow, eOne and Alexi Hawley’s Perfect Man Pictures, Campanario, Christina Davis/Amazon and George Tillman’s, State Street. Jon served on active duty in the United States Air Force from 1987-1995. He participated in Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm where he served as an aircraft nuclear/conventional weapons specialist. He simultaneously earned his degree in Musical Theatre before making the move to Los Angeles in 1995 where he pursued his childhood dream of becoming an actor. This year marks 29 years in the entertainment business. He is now putting more of his focus into Directing and Producing as he relocates to Gold Country in Northern California to live with his wife, Nicole, and animals on a horse farm. Jon will be attending Festival events, including the Coronation, presented by Morgan Orthodontics, at John Handley High School, where he will be knighted by Queen Shenandoah, Joy Berlanga. He will then ride through his hometown streets in the Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade, May 3, at 5:30 p.m. He will lead the glo fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 4, at 1:30 p.m. Festival President, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce that the winner of Season 24 of The Voice, Huntley, will serve as Firefighters’ Marshal in the 2024 Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade. Singer-songwriter Huntley captivated fans and audiences with his style of southern blues and rock, and raspy vocal ranges and gained mass recognition for his versatile style and command on stage. Compared to the likes of Chris Stapleton, Radiohead, and Bradley Nowell of Sublime, Huntley’s polished performances garnered him as having performed on big stages his whole life. No stranger to the music grind, Huntley earned the crown and has continued to captivate fans and audiences. Huntley’s performance is best described by coach Niall Horan “…a machine on stage, it's insane.” In keeping with our effort to have a local/regional connection to our Festival guests, Gromling is thrilled that Huntley is “almost local”, living just over the mountains in Fredericksburg, VA, with his two children, Stella and Michael, Jr. Stella joined her dad on The Voice stage to help him choose Niall Horan as his coach. Huntley has been open and motivated about being involved in his children’s lives even with his busy schedule. He independently released his first single and video, “Holdin’ On”, in 2022 and a later project titled, “Fire and Flames”. Huntley will appear at Festival events including the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah presented by Morgan Orthodontics at Handley High School, Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade on Friday, May 3, and the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 4. Additionally, Huntley, “singer-songwriter, country, definitely Southern blues rock 'n' roll" performer, has agreed to perform at the Malloy Toyota Country Music Party at the Tolley Dental Zone in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center, 1188 Ralph Shockey Drive, on Saturday, May 4, at 7:15 p.m. Brenda Frese, head coach of the Championship University of Maryland Women’s basketball team, is being announced as a guest speaker at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast. Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is honored to welcome Frese to the head table of the event.
Since her first season at the helm, when the team won just 10 games, Brenda Frese has guided the University of Maryland Women's Basketball team to a National Championship in 2006, twenty overall winning seasons, nineteen 20-win seasons, seven 30-win seasons and nineteen bids to the NCAA Tournament. In 2022, Maryland rewarded Frese's amazing run of excellence with a contract extension through at least the 2028-2029 season. On February 14th, 2022, Frese won her 500th game at Maryland, making her the winningest coach in Maryland basketball history. On that day, she surpassed former women's basketball head coach and Hall of Famer, Chris Weller, who retired with 499 wins with the Terrapins. After leaving the ACC and joining the Big Ten in 2014, Frese's Terrapins have had historic success in that league. Her Terrapin teams have earned a record of 157-24 (a success rate of .867) in conference play, including their 20-4 record in the Big Ten Tournament. Frese and the Terps have won six of eight Big Ten Championships, five Big Ten Tournament titles, and made a record seven straight appearances in the Big Ten Championship game. Frese has built her team's success around recruiting, hard work, and a positive atmosphere. The instant she arrived on campus, she determinedly worked the recruiting trails in an effort to reclaim the elite status Maryland once held in the 1980s under the aforementioned Chris Weller. Success then came quickly and early. Before she even coached a game in the newly constructed XFINITY Center, she received commitments from a pair of high school All-Americans, including Shay Doron, who went on to become a three-time All-ACC pick and a Women's National Basketball Association Draft selection. In all, 23 McDonald's All-Americans have donned a Maryland uniform under Frese's reign. Obviously, few coaches across any sport can claim the level of consistency and standard of excellence as Brenda Frese in her 22 years at Maryland. Two-time National Coach of the Year, Frese's high work rate and positive attitude have resulted in seventeen Top-15 recruiting classes, three Final Fours, fourteen Conference Titles, and that stand-out National Championship in 2006. Frese has balanced this strong work ethic with a fun and family-friendly environment, also becoming a wife and a mother of twin boys, giving birth to them in the midst of one of the most successful seasons in the program's history. With the birth of her twins in February of 2008, she becomes one of only seven coaches to win a National Women's Championship and be a parent. Coach Frese will participate in the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at the Tolley Dental Zone at the James R. Wilkins Athletics & Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University, Saturday, May 4 at 8 a.m., and she will ride in the glo fiber Grand Feature Parade at 1:30 p.m. |
About UsThe Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the beauty of springtime and the apple blossoms in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley through events and initiatives that enhance community spirit and showcases our local agricultural heritage. Archives
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