Multitalented Alfonso Ribeiro to serve as Festival’s Grand Marshal

Alfonso Ribeiro, host of Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos has been named Grand Marshal of the 98th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® by Jeremy Luttrell, Festival president. 
 
Alfonso Ribeiro’s iconic television personality danced its way into our hearts with his talents as an actor, TV director, award-winning dancer, and Broadway star. Ribeiro has spent over 45 years leaving his unique mark on television, theater, and pop culture worldwide, having started his career at the age of 8!!
 
Ribeiro is currently hosting his 10th season of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” the beloved show is currently in its 35th Season. Continuing to demonstrate its timeless appeal as the longest running series on ABC.  
 
Alfonso also hosts “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC.  This past season set multiple records, including all-time highs in viewership and voting. His love of the ballroom and the series come through in his signature warm enthusiastic delivery each week.
 
Ribeiro also currently hosts a third series for ABC, the Saturday Morning wildlife series “Jack Hanna’s Passport” from Hearst Media Production Group. 
 
Ribeiro returned as the host of A Capitol Fourth the 44th annual edition of America's national Independence Day celebration broadcasted live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on PBS and will be hosting the beloved Special again this year.
 
Previously he hosted Game Show Network’s six seasons of the hit “Catch 21”, for which his work garnered him two Emmy Nominations. 
 
Ribeiro began his career as a child actor encouraged by his mother and father throughout. Most notably, he landed on Broadway playing the lead role in the Tony®-winning musical “The Tap Dance Kid.” As news of Ribeiro’s tap dancing and singing skills spread, he was offered a recording contract with Island Records, for whom he released several dance/pop singles, as well as his role in Michael Jackson’s 1984 “Billie Jean” Pepsi commercial.
 
Ribeiro moved next to series television in the long-running NBC sitcom “Silver Spoons,” making him a teen idol. After earning a theater arts education from Cal State University, Los Angeles, he was given the opportunity to choose a role on the established sitcom “A Different World” or a new pilot called “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Showing an adventurous streak, he chose the latter and created the lovable iconic character of “Carlton Banks” for which he is known for throughout the world.
 
Having grown up in front of the camera, he knew that opportunities existed behind the camera as well and became a sitcom director. His diverse resume includes popular series like “In the House,” “Shake It Up,” “Are We There Yet?,” “The Wannabes,” “Meet the Browns,” “Cuts,” “Eve,” “One on One” and “All of Us.” 
   
Ribeiro continued to make good use of his dancing skills and his competitive nature in 2014 when he won the 19th season of “Dancing with the Stars.” After finishing in first place, he hosted the nationwide “Dancing with the Stars” live tour.
 
Golf is also one of Ribeiro’s many passions, and he is currently a PGA TOUR Champions Ambassador. 
 
He resides in California with his wife and four children.
 
Ribeiro will make an appearance at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast in the Tolley Dental Zone of the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center on the Shenandoah University campus, Saturday, May 3, at 9 a.m. That afternoon he will head up the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade, which steps off at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets to Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events