The 94th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is pleased to announce part five of our What’s New at the Bloom event series.  Volunteers continue to plan for our annual Festival which will take place from April 23-May 2, 2021.  Due to state mandated COVID restrictions, tickets are limited and many of our events will take place at alternate venues this year.  The Festival will follow all CDC guidelines and the Governor’s latest Executive Orders at all events.  Participants should expect to follow these same requirements in order to participate.
 
Tickets and registration are now available for the following events:
 
Virginia Business Systems Apple Blossom Golf Classic
The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is pleased to announce our 25th Annual Virginia Business Systems Apple Blossom Golf Classic will take place at Rock Harbor Golf Course on Friday afternoon, April 23, 2021.  Rock Harbor Golf Course, located in Frederick County, VA is a 36-hole course and is rated one of the top courses by the Mid-Atlantic PGA region.
 
The tournament will be a 24 team, 4-player Captain’s Choice format and will include hole-in one, longest drive, and closest to the pin contests.  Door prizes, green tee, mulligans and range balls included in the $125 per player entry fee.
Registration begins at 12:00 p.m. with a shotgun start at 1 p.m.  Registration fee is $125 per person or $500/team which covers golf fees, hospitality, and gifts. Register online by April 16, 2021 at www.thebloom.com

Stonebrook Club Tennis Tournament
The Stonebrook Club Tennis Tournament is an annual USTA-sanctioned, three-day event. Now in its fifth year, the event promises to be competitive and exciting for tennis players of all levels. The success of the tournament grows each year, attracting local and out-of-town tennis players and spectators.
 
The tournament will take place on Friday, April 23, Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25.  Entry fees are $45 for singles and $22.50 for doubles.  For more information, visit www.thebloom.com
 
Registered participants receive gift bags filled with tennis-themed items or locally sourced goodies.  Trophies are awarded to champions in each division.
 
The Stonebrook Club of Winchester offers nine courts: four indoor and five outdoor. Two of the outdoor courts are clay-surfaced and lit for evening play.   The facility is in a lovely area of rolling hills and blooming orchards in beautiful Winchester.
As the event date approaches, participants are encouraged to check for updates on this event page, via e-blasts to our fan base, or Social Media. You may also contact the Tennis Tournament Committee at sabftennis@gmail.com.
 
Cider Tastings & Orchard Tours
Cider tastings and Orchard Tours will be offered at Winchester Ciderworks located at 2504 North Frederick Pike on Sunday, April 25th. Half-hour walking tours of the orchards will begin at 11:00 am, Noon, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm.  The event host, Winchester Ciderworks, is a local cidery that specializes in the burgeoning new market for gourmet hard ciders.  This event consists of a two-part tour of the orchard and cidery followed by a cider tasting.
 
During the orchard tour, guides will dispense a wealth of information on the planting and growing of fruit trees, temperature sensitivity for blossoms, spraying and pruning and using the latest “green” methodology to protect the trees and promote tree and fruit growth, when and how to harvest, and much more. Please wear appropriate footwear.
 
Following the tour, participants can enjoy going into Winchester Ciderwork’s wonderful tasting room to sample different hard ciders that are made right on the premises. 
 
Delicious food options will be available for purchase from various vendors on site as well as live music by Davis Bradley. 
 
Barrett Machine Bloomin’ Sunday
Formally known as Sunday in the Park, Barrett Machine Bloomin’ Sunday will move to a new location in 2021.  Join us at the Frederick County Fairgrounds on Sunday, May 2, 2021 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm for a fun-filled day of activities for the entire family.  Tickets are available online at www.thebloom.com.  $10/person, Children 5 and under are $5.00.
 
Bloomin’ Sunday is an annual family-fun extravaganza and includes an Artisan and Craft Show, Midway Games, Live Entertainment, Concessions, Anthony's Pizza Cruise-In Car Show (weather permitting), New Horizons Kids' Zone, Adventure Show, and the Donegal Insurance Group Bluegrass Show.  Bring your whole family.  We have something for everyone!
 
​Please note: Pets are not allowed in Bloomin' Sunday. You may bring one (1) unopened water bottle per person. No outside food; however, if a parent has an infant, snacks are allowed.
 
The Feltner Group Doors in Bloom Contest
The Feltner Group Doors in Bloom is the perfect way for local residents and businesses to emphasize how much they love the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®.  It is a contest that was started in 2017 for the 90th festival, and comes from the creative mind of festival volunteer, Tina Jacobin Stowell.  It encourages local residents and businesses to show off the extent of their Apple Blossom pride by decorating their doors with pink and green, the iconic official colors of the Festival.   Join in the fun and show off your love of the bloom!  Feel free to contact Tina Jacobin Stowell at: tinajacobin@yahoo.com with questions. 
 
Register your home between April 1 through April 20.  There is no entry fee and entries will be judged in two categories: residential and business.  Prizes will be awarded in each category.  Visit www.thebloom.com to learn more or to register.
 
 
Festival tickets to the events listed above can be purchased online at www.thebloom.com, at Festival Headquarters located at 135 N Cameron Street, Winchester, VA, or by calling (540) 662-3863.
 
The What’s New at the 2021 Bloom – Part Six!!! press release will be distributed during the week of March 29 and will included details about the Festival Souvenir Store location, grand opening date and store hours. 
 
 
Media Contact:
Bradley S. Veach, Executive Director
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival
135 North Cameron Street, Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 662-3863  | bveach@thebloom.com | www.thebloom.com

​The 94th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is pleased to announce another series of events for 2021.  Volunteers continue to plan for our annual Festival which will take place from April 23-May 2, 2021.  Due to state mandated COVID restrictions, tickets are limited and many of our events will take place at alternate venues this year.  

Tickets are now on sale for the following events: 

Oldies Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance
The Festival welcomes back Rick K and the Allnighters to a fun evening of dancing to favorite oldies dance hits. Come dressed in your best outfits from the '50s or '60s. 

*New for 2021* 50 VIP tickets are available and include early (5:00 pm) admission, reserved seating with special table decorations and a 30-minute dance lesson before Rick K & the Allnighters take the stage.  Doors open for General Admission ticketholders at 5:45 pm.  Ticket Prices: $35.00 General Admission; $45.00 VIP Admission

Get your tickets early as this popular dance event is sure to sell out again!  Guests may purchase beer, select mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.

The Oldies Rock 'n' Roll Dance will take place on Saturday evening, May 1, 2021 from 6:00-10:00 pm at a new location - Millwood Station Banquet Hall, 252 Costello Drive, Winchester, VA 22602.

Prayer Lunch
Come join the enthusiastic crowd that gathers to “Bless the Bloom”!  The interdenominational event has been a dynamic success with each Festival year since 2000 welcoming notable guest speakers Linda Davis, Ruth Graham McIntyre, Lisa Welchel, Kirk Cameron, Truitt Cathy, LaDonna Gatlin, Gigi Graham, and Trudy Cathy White.

Reserved seating ticket price: $30.00.  Catered lunch provided by our friends at Jordan Springs Market.

Featured performing guests and this year’s speaker will be announced in the coming weeks.  Include a refreshing, inspirational dimension to your “Bloom Week”! 

The Prayer Lunch presented by Knouse Foods, Musselman’s and Lucky Leaf will take place on a new day, Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Noon-2:00 pm at a new location – Tolley Dental Zone at the Frederick County Fairgrounds, 250 Fairgrounds Road, Clear Brook, VA 22624.

This event is in an outdoor open tent event and will take place rain or shine.
COVID-19 Statement: Ticket holders will be required to follow CDC guidelines and mandates in order to participate in events.

Highway Motors International Stag Luncheon
Men from across the area always look forward to the annual Highway Motors International Stag Luncheon.  Attendees enjoy food, beer & bourbon bar, music, games, and fellowship. The Stag Lunch provides an opportunity for guys to reunite with old friends, many of whom might not have seen each other since the 2019 event.

The Stag Luncheon will be at the Winchester Cold Storage at 605 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA 22601.  Gates open at 10:45 a.m. for VIP Access and 11:45 a.m. for General Admission. VIP ticket holders enjoy early entrance and exclusive access to the VIP area. They also receive a free T-shirt, cigar, and commemorative can, as well as access to the corn-hole tournament and dunk tank with special food and drink. 21 and older only.  Ticket Prices: General Admission $35.00; VIP Admission $70.00

This is a rain or shine event.  

COVID-19 Statement: Ticket holders will be required to follow CDC guidelines and mandates in order to participate in events. 

Fire Truck Showcase and Rodeo
Fire Engines - New and Old - at the Fire Truck Showcase and Rodeo.

Come on out to the Apple Blossom Mall on Saturday, May 1, 2021 from 10 am to 3 pm in the mall parking lot for this FREE event to get your fill of fire engines - big and small, old and new.

In addition to seeing hundreds of all types of fire engines, you will get to see the annual Fire Truck Rodeo sponsored by Keplinger Repair. Watch as firefighters drive the huge machines backward and forward through tightly-spaced cones to the tick of a stopwatch. This competition begins at 10 a.m., rain or shine, and provides firefighters the chance to demonstrate their driving skills and improve the performance of their everyday driving.

Come on out for the chance to see antique and new fire engines, aerial ladders, and specialty vehicles up close. Many of the antique vehicles are more than 100 years old.

Massage Envy Bloomers’ Luncheon
Ladies, we are “Back in Bloom.” Enjoy the festivities surrounded by your girlfriends with dancing and plenty of fun at the Massage Envy Bloomers’ Luncheon!  This ladies-only event will feature the music of Souled Out, a sit-down luncheon from Panera Bread, and an open bar with a variety of draft beers and some selected wines.  There will also be a cash bar available with a tantalizing selection of drinks. Enjoy yourselves at the Tolley Dental Zone, Frederick County Fairgrounds, surrounded by your friends.  Tickets are only $35.00, which includes your reserved seat, meal, select open bar drinks, and entertainment!

This event takes place from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Friday, April 30th.  If you plan to enjoy the adult beverages, you must bring a valid ID.  21 and older only.

The Bloomers' Luncheon is an outdoor open tent event and will take place rain or shine.

COVID-19 Statement: Ticket holders will be required to follow CDC guidelines and mandates in order to participate in events.

Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast
The Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast has been a fan favorite since 1966 where Sammy Baugh, of the Washington Redskins and Hall of Fame Pro Football player and coach was the first Sports Marshall. Adults and children have the opportunity to “make a memory” as they eat and listen to their “heroes” in sports. The breakfast also honors local high school and college athletes chosen to represent their schools.

2021 Sports Breakfast celebrities and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.  

The Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2021 8:00-10:00 am at a new location – Tolley Dental Zone at the Frederick County Fairgrounds, 250 Fairgrounds Road, Clear Brook, VA 22624.  This is a rain or shine event. Hot breakfast will be provided by Shenandoah Valley Golf Club.

Ticket pricing: $35 General Admission; $65 VIP Celebrity Photo + Autographed Book + Breakfast + Preferred Seating.  Tickets are limited.  This event sells out every year so reserve your tickets in advance.

COVID-19 Statement: Ticket holders will be required to follow CDC guidelines and mandates in order to participate in events.

The What’s New at the 2021 Bloom – Part Five!!! press release will be distributed next Friday, March 12, 2021 around 12:00 NOON.  

Tickets can be purchased online at www.thebloom.com, at Festival Headquarters located at 135 N Cameron Street, Winchester, VA, or by calling (540) 662-3863. 

Media Contact: 
Bradley S. Veach, Executive Director
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival
135 North Cameron Street, Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 662-3863 | bveach@thebloom.com | www.thebloom.com 

The 94th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® will look much different due to current COVID-19 restrictions, however the Festival is working and planning under these new set of rules that will result in temporary changes for our 2021 Festival.  Nevertheless, we will be “Back in Bloom” and taking full advantage of the unique opportunity to celebrate the arrival of spring. 
 
The Festival is pleased to announce our Thursday, Friday and Saturday dance party lineup and ticket availability.   
​​

​Sheetz 80’s Dance Party
Back by popular demand, the Sheetz 80’s Dance Party will take place on Friday evening, April 30, 2021 at the Tolley Dental Zone at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in Clear Brook, VA.  Doors open at 5:00 pm and live music will begin at 6:00 pm. (Please note new start time for event!)  General admission tickets are on sale for $35.00 and only 900 tickets will be sold for this event. 
 
The Sheetz 80’s Dance Party is mixing things up a bit by welcoming two new acts to our party stage in 2021.  Straight from Atlanta, GA in their 13th year together, DEPARTURE is the most respected Journey tribute band in the nation. DEPARTURE replicates the look, sound and feel of the original 80’s rock super group, Journey. These veteran musicians love what they do and have developed an amazing on-stage chemistry. They pride themselves on giving their audience an incredible high-energy, qualitative stage show from start to finish. Dressed in the iconic tuxedo jacket, DEPARTURE lead vocalist, Brian Williams, has an amazing singing voice, flawlessly matching Steve Perry’s vocal range and on-stage movements.
 
DEPARTURE plays all the hit songs that everyone knows and loves. Their performance is professional and highly engaging for their audience. Everything heard during their performance is live with no pre-recorded tracks used.  Performing over one hundred shows nationally per year, DEPARTURE brings the very best of Journey to audiences of all ages.
 
Opening for DEPARTURE, is local sensation Raised On Analog.  Raised on Analog combines the talents of a varied group of musicians to provide an entertaining and energetic mix of popular music. Theyt combine the danceability of Funk, Pop and Country, the recognizable lyrics of Classic Rock anthems with the raw power of 80's hits to create an experience that has something for everyone.
​
Get your tickets early as this popular dance is sure to sell out again!  Guests may purchase beer and select mixed drinks, which will include a specialty drink reminiscent of the 80's era!  Festival food and concessions will be available for purchase at the Frederick County Fair Midway.
 
The Sheetz 80's Dance Party is under outdoor tents at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.  This is a rain or shine event.

​Allstate Insurance 90’s Dance Party
Prepare to go back to the golden era of music where the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Nsync, Fugees, and Hanson tunes ruled the airwaves. Hip hop artists and Seattle grunge bands filled our mixed tapes and CD collections.
​
The Allstate Insurance 90's Dance Party will take place on Thursday evening, April 29, 2021 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the Tolley Dental Zone at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in Clear Brook, VA...Doors open at 5 p.m.  Tickets to this new event are only $20.00.  Only 900 tickets will be sold and are sure to sell out fast!
 
Dance the night away with As If - the Ultimate 90's Tribute Band. Winner of 2018 Best Cover Band by the Maryland Music Awards, As If brings their authentic, energetic live performance to the Festival's first-ever 90's Dance Party featuring the legendary music that made the 90's all that AND a bag of chips.
 
Find your plaid flannel shirts, stonewashed baggy blue jeans, Doc Martens, combat boots, Birkenstocks, and high-top sneakers and compete in the costume contest. Great prizes will be awarded to the best dressed!  Get your tickets early as this new dance is sure to sell out!
 
Guests may purchase beer and select mixed drinks, which will include a specialty drink reminiscent of the 90's era!  Festival food and concessions will be available for purchase at the Frederick County Fairgrounds Midway.
 
The Allstate Insurance 90's Dance Party is under outdoor tents at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.  This is a rain or shine event.

Ability Home Care Country Music Party
The Ability Home Care Country Music Party, presented by Shenandoah Country Q102, an iHeartMedia Station, will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at the Tolley Dental Zone located at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in Clear Brook, VA. Doors and live music begin at 2:00 pm.  General admission tickets are on sale for $25.00 and only 900 tickets will be sold for this event. 
 
​Continuing its tradition of offering great country acts at an amazingly affordable price, this year’s party showcases four outstanding “homegrown” country performers: Bryan Frazier, Ryan Jewel, Chris Darlington, and Ronnie Wolford. The Festival is proud to bring these young, up and coming stars together on one stage.
 
Tickets for the Ability Home Care Country Music Party are only $25.00 and can be purchased online or at the Official Souvenir & Ticket Outlet opening in early April. In addition to an afternoon and evening full of great music, there will be plenty of adult beverages (ID required), as well as hot food on the midway. Please, no outside food and drink, or large purses and bags inside the Tolley Dental Zone.
 
Schedule is subject to change.
Ronnie Wolford and Logan Garrett (acoustic duo)              2:00 PM               3:30 PM
Chris Darlington                                                                         3:45 PM               5:15 PM
Ryan Jewel                                                                                   5:45 PM               7:30 PM
Bryan Frazier                                                                               8:00 PM               10:00 PM
 
This event is under outdoors tents at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.  Rain or shine. ​

​Our 94th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® will look much different.  Festival fans need to understand that we are working and planning under a new set of rules, and will result in temporary changes for 2021.  Current statewide restrictions on indoor and outdoor gatherings limit the Festival’s ability to plan major events like parades and the Midway in Old Town Winchester.  Largescale indoor events will transition outdoors under multiple tents at the Frederick County Fairgrounds.  The Festival will scale back ticket availability to comply with the Governor’s Forward Virginia Phase 3 requirements and participation limits.  Event-goers should expect to follow CDC guidelines and mandates in order to participate in events.  Specific changes to the Festival schedule will be available in the Festival’s What’s New for 2021 press release series which will be shared with Festival fans and the media in the coming weeks.

Event tickets will go on sale starting December 1, 2020.  Tickets can be purchased in person at Festival Headquarters, by phone at (540) 662-3863, or through our new online ticketing system at www.thebloom.com.  Make plans now to join us on April 23-May 2, 2021 as we get “Back in Bloom.”

Media Contact:

Bradley S. Veach, Executive Director
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival
135 North Cameron Street, Winchester, VA 22601
(540) 662-3863 | bveach@sabf.org | www.thebloom.com

Winchester, VA – The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is pleased to announce a 30-day fundraising campaign in partnership with Express Feedback for Good.  The goal is for our community to come together and generate over $35,000 – without spending a dime!
Proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to attract high school and professional bands to the Grand Feature Parade and enhance entertainment at Festival events during the 2021 Festival.  Express Feedback for Good is a fantastic – and totally free – way you can help ensure that the Festival can continue its legacy.

Participants are asked to register and complete consumer surveys about national brands covering a variety of industries.  After you sign up, every time you share a brand opinion, you will generate $2.00 for the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®, and each participant can complete up to 75 surveys.  That is $150.00 for the Festival if participants complete all 75 surveys! Names and emails will not be sold or distributed to any third-party companies – only the Festival will see the personal information.  The campaign is an easy, safe, and free way to make a positive impact on the Festival by spending a few minutes a day to complete surveys.
​
Visit https://bit.ly/Bloom-influ to register to support the Festival.  Participants are encouraged to share the website URL and message with their family and friends.

Background

Express Feedback for Good is a division of HundredX who partners with and advises hundreds of enterprises and investors to capture feedback and brand impression from consumers.  HundredX has developed a safe and easy-to-us proprietary system to capture customer information for their national clients while providing a unique fundraising opportunity through Express Feedback for GoodTM for non-profit organizations.  The Festival is working with National Director of Express Feedback for GoodTM, Nicole Johnson who served as Miss Apple Blossom Festival in 1997, Miss Virginia in 1998 and Miss America in 1999.

Media Contacts:

Bradley S. Veach, Executive Director
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®
(540) 662-3863
bveach@sabf.org

Elaine Aikens, Past President
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®
(540) 974-6965
elaine@aikensgroup.com

Winchester, VA – Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® President, Tommy Price, is pleased to announce an upcoming ceremony to recognize local high school and college athletes chosen to represent their schools during the 93rd Annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.  Each year, the Festival acknowledges local athletes during its Saturday morning Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was canceled in 2020.

“Unfortunately, the Festival was not able to recognize our athletes this year, but we feel it is important to carry on this tradition and give these fine student-athletes the credit they deserve,” said President Tommy Price.

A ceremony will take place at 11:00 am on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Partlow Insurance’s Old Town Winchester office located at 151 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA.  Due to COVID-19 and the need to maintain social distancing, the ceremony is open to invited guests including student-athletes, school athletic directors, Festival officials and sponsors, and the media.  Everyone in attendance is asked to wear a mask.

The 2020 line-up of outstanding local athletes include:

​Jordan Jackson (Millbrook High School)
Jordan is a standout football and basketball player at Millbrook High School. In football he is a 3-year starter and has been named to the All-District Teams all 3 years. This year he was named First Team All-District and First Team All-Region as a Wide Receiver. On the basketball court Jordan is a 4-year starter and has received All-District honors all 4 years. He was also named to the All-Region team his junior year. Jordan has a 3.4 GPA and will attend Frostburg State University on a football scholarship this Fall.

Colby Childs (Clarke County High School)
Colby has earned 11 varsity letters at Clarke County (3 football/4 basketball/4 baseball).  He has been a 3-year starter at quarterback in football. He broke Clarke County’s career passing records in single game yards, single season yards and career passing yards and lead the team to a share of the 2019 Bull Run title.  He was selected 1st Team and 2nd Team All-Bull Run District honors his sophomore and junior year at the Offensive All-Purpose position.  He was selected 1st Team All-Bull District and 1st Team All Region 2B quarterback his senior season.  Colby earned Winchester Star honors in each of his 3 seasons in football.  In baseball, Colby has been a 4-year starter at shortstop and pitcher. He was selected 1st Team All-Bull Run and 1st Team All-Region 2B honors at shortstop in each of his sophomore and junior seasons while also gaining Winchester Star honors in each of those seasons.   In basketball, Colby has been a 3-year starter and earned Winchester Star honors his junior year.  Colby was named as an honorable mention Winchester Star Athlete of the Year in 2018-19.  Colby has a 3.82 GPA and has signed a letter of intent with Hood College to play baseball.

Malachi Imoh (Handley High School)
Malachi Imoh is a graduate of John Handley High School. His parents are James and Marie Imoh, and has two siblings Elizabeth Imoh and Tirone Young. Malachi participated in Handley’s football program all 4 years, the track and field program during his junior and senior years and the soccer program while a Freshman. Along with playing sports in high school, he achieved high academic standards. During his sophomore and junior years at Handley, he attended Mountain Vista Governor’s School focusing on biology. He is a member of the National Honor Society and scored 1410 on the SAT. He will be attending the College of William and Mary next year to play football on an athletic scholarship.

DJ Staton (Warren County High School)
D.J. Staton is a graduate of Warren County High School. His accolades in track, both indoor and outdoor, is three-time All-State and five-time All-Region. He is also a current Northwestern District Champion. In cross country he has been two-time All-State and three-time All-Region. He has been awarded the Northern Virginia Daily all Track and Cross-Country teams. D.J. will attend the University of South Carolina – Upstate on a Cross Country and Track Scholarship. He has a GPA of 2.77.

Aaliyah Chunn (Skyline High School)
Aaliyah is a 3-sport athlete from Skyline High School in Warren County.  Aaliyah competed in volleyball, indoor and outdoor track and field.  In volleyball, she earned 2019 1st Team All-District, 1st Team All-Region, 1st Team All-State, Northwestern District Class 3 Player of the Year, Region 3B Player of the Year, Player of the Year for the Northern Virginia Daily.  Indoor Track and Field 2019 All-Region and All State in the High Jump 2020 All-District and All Region in the High Jump.  Outdoor Track, she earned 2017 All-District and All Region in the High Jump, 2018 All-District, All-Region, and All-State High Jump, 2019 All-District, All-Region, and All-State High Jump. She is Skyline’s record holder in the High Jump at 5’2.  Aaliyah will be attending Shenandoah University this fall. She will study Kinesiology and join the SU volleyball and track and field teams.

Payne Bauer (Sherando High School)
Payne is a graduate of Sherando High School.  He participated in DECA, NHS, and competed in football and baseball. As a football player, he is a two-time VHSL 1st all state performer,  a USA today 2nd All-State performer, two-time region defensive player of the year,  two-time district defensive player of the year, two-time all-area Winchester Star Defensive Player of the Year and lastly, The Northern Virginia Daily Defensive Player of the Year. As a baseball player, he is a two-time all-district outfielder, two-time all-region outfield, and a 1st team all-state outfielder. After high school, Bauer will be going to James Madison University and major in finance while playing football.

McKayla Firebaugh (James Wood High School)
Firebaugh is a graduate of James Wood High School.  In basketball, she was a four-time 1st team all-district, three time Offensive MVP,  two-time Northwestern District Player of the Year, 2nd Team All-Region, 1st Team All-Region, Region Co-Player of the Year , 1st Team VHSCA All-State, Winchester Star Player of the Year, and 1st Team VHSL All-State.  She currently holds James Wood the records for 2031 career points, 189 career three-pointers, most threes in a single season (63), most points scored in a single game (44), most points scored in a single season (612), and top points average in a single season 24.5 points per game.   Firebaugh received the 2018 U.S. House of Representatives Certificate of Congressional and Recognition for Outstanding offensive Player of the Year in girls’ basketball. She has also been a 2-year member of the National Honor Society as well as DECA and Varsity Club. Firebaugh will continue her education at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ where she is committed to play Division I basketball with plans of majoring in forensic science.

​Casey Stewart (Shenandoah University)
As a junior, Casey set a program season record with 15 touchdowns in football.  He was named first team All-ODAC.  Played in 10 games, recorded 2 tackles, 54 receptions for 859 yards, and named first team All-State by VaSID. As a senior, Casey led the ODAC in receiving yards with 1191, had 13 touchdowns, set a new program mark for career receiving touchdowns. He was named second team All-ODAC.  Casey was a finalist for the Armed Services Merit Award for the second straight year, was a finalist for the Lanier Award, given to the top NCAA DII/DIII or NAIA player in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Casey earned second team All-ECAC honors and named second team All-State by VaSID.

The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® Board of Directors unanimously elected Thomas “Tommy” F. Price to serve as the organization’s President for a two-year term beginning today, Monday, June 22, 2020.  Price replaces now Past President, Barry Carper who served as President for the 92nd and 93rd Festivals.

Price has volunteered with the Festival for the past 42 years.  He first started out as a Firefighters’ Parade marshal in 1978 and was primarily involved with firefighters-related events.  Tommy served as Director of Firefighter’s Activities for two terms.

When asked about his favorite memories, Price stated “I have really enjoyed escorting celebrities over the last 10 years.”  Price added “I can’t say that I have a favorite memory; all are good memories, and I am sure the best memories are yet to come. I love the Festival and everything it stands for and enjoys working with the staff and volunteers.  I look forward to following in the footsteps of all before me.  It is important to keep the Festival spirit alive and going on for many more years to come.”

Tommy and his wife Becky will celebrate 39 years of marriage later this month.  They have two children, 30-year-old twins William and Sara.  Tommy and Becky enjoy spending time with their three grandchildren, 1-year-old twins Liam and Adaline (William and wife Casey) and 4-month-old Noah (Sara and husband Kevin.)  Price is a member of Clear Brook Presbyterian Church. Tommy is a lifetime member of the Clear Brook Volunteer Fire Co. where he has volunteered for 43 years and served as Fire Chief for 18 years.