The Miss Apple Blossom and Miss Apple Blossom Teen Competition, presented by FNB Bank will be held at 7:00 pm on January 27, 2024, at Daniel Morgan Middle School, 48 S Purcell Ave, Winchester, VA. The winners will serve as hostesses for the 97th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® from April 26-May 5, 2024. They will visit numerous events and ride in the Firefighters’ Parade Friday, May 3rd and Grand feature Parade Saturday, May 4th. The winner of the Miss Apple Blossom Festival and Miss Apple Blossom Teen will go on to compete at the 2024 Miss Virginia Competition. 2024 Miss Apple Blossom delegate
2024 Miss Apple Blossom Teen delegate Winchester, VA – The City of Winchester, VA, Old Town Winchester, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester Economic Development Authority, and Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® have partnered to organize a New Year’s Celebration event throughout the day and evening on Sunday, December 31, 2023 and the morning of Monday, January 1, 2024 at various locations in Winchester, VA.
First Night Winchester at the MSV Celebrate First Night at the MSV! Enjoy FREE family-oriented entertainment and admission by donation to the MSV galleries, Glen Burnie House, and gardens. In the galleries building, Magic Shows will take place at 10 a.m. & noon (ticket required), the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center will present programs at 2 & 4 p.m. (ticket required), and balloon animal making & face painting will take place from noon to 3 p.m. (no ticket required). Light snacks and drinks will be available for purchase in the Museum Store from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Artists of all ages are also invited to participate in the First Night Winchester Coloring Contest! This annual MSV tradition includes prizes for the winners from each age group, and the winning coloring sheets will be on display on December 31. On New Year’s Eve, the galleries building will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and The Trails at the MSV will be open from 7 a.m. to dusk. Get tickets for the shows at www.themsv.org/fnw24 or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 240; early registration encouraged as space is limited. Ring in the New Year in Old Town Winchester Make dinner reservations or enjoy live entertainment at one of Old Town Winchester’s many fine dining establishments and entertainment venues. FREE family-friendly entertainment will take place on the walking mall and at several venues from 5 p.m. until midnight including: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. James Wood High School Jazz Band performance in the Grand Ball Room at The George Washington Hotel, A Wyndham Grand Hotel. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Street performers along walking mall including fire jugglers, magicians, and more. 5 p.m. to Midnight Grab a selfie with friends! New Year’s Eve themed backdrops will be located at Bright Box Theater, The George Washington Hotel, Winchester Brew Works and Vibrissa Restaurant and Brewery. Stop by all four locations to snap and share photos! 6 p.m. to Midnight Glow Party (with DJ) and Laser Light Shows at the Old Court house Civil War Museum 6 p.m. Glow Party with DJ 7 p.m. Laser Light Show (‘60s and ‘70s music) 7:30 p.m. Glow Party with DJ 8:30 p.m. Laser Light Show (‘80s music) 10 p.m. Laser Light Show (‘90s music) 10:30 p.m. Glow Party with DJ 11:40 p.m. Laser Light Show Midnight Apple Drop Visit www.thebloom.com for a full listing of activities and events on New Year’s Eve in Old Town Winchester. Local non-profits will be in Old Town selling glow bracelets as a fundraiser for their organizations. FREE parking is available in the four downtown Autoparks from 12:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 12:00 p.m. New Year’s Day! Race into the New Year at the New Year’s Day Fun Run Kickoff 2024 with family wellness by participating in the New Year’s Day Fun Run on the trails at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Runners should plan to arrive at 8 a.m., and the Fun Run begins promptly at 9 a.m. The 2.4-mile course will weave runners through the beautiful and historic MSV campus. Post race, enjoy music by Summit Events and great food from Donut Dive and Billy Sous. Adults - $35 12 and Under - $25 Sign up online at www.thebloom.com The Fun Run is limited to 250 participants. Special thanks to our generous partners: Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Monoflo International, Procter & Gamble, CNB Bank, Partlow Insurance, Valley Health Wellness & Fitness, Top of Virginia Regional Chamber – Young Professionals Group, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Johnny Blue, Summit Events, Mosaic Church, and Emerald Owl Productions.
Sharen Gromling, president of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®, is honored to announce Phil Glaize as Court Ambassador for the Coronation of Queen Shenandoah, Bella Astin, on Friday, May 5, at 1:30 p.m. at Handley High School. Philip B. Glaize, Jr. resides in Winchester, VA., where he has managed Fred L. Glaize, L.C. for more than 35 years. The partnership operates 600 acres of apple orchards in Virginia, in addition to a cold storage facility, packing operations and sales activities. Phil is the current chairman of the Virginia Apple Growers Association and a past chairman of the Virginia Apple Board and the Eastern Apple Council. He also served as chairman of the Governor’s Council on Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers and is past president of the Frederick County Fruit Growers Association. He is a past chairman of the US Apple Association, whose members are over 9000 apple growers from all 36 apple producing states in the country. In 2022, Phil received recognition as “Apple Person of the Year”; an annual industry award based upon feedback from peers across the country. Other business affiliations include Old Town Cidery, various rental activities, and membership on the board of directors of Winchester Equipment Co. Community activities include church duties and the Rotary Club. He is past chair of the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, and current chair of Mt. Hebron Cemetery. Phil graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science and a minor in business. His family includes his wife, Mary Bruce, four children and eight grandchildren. Leisure activities include golfing, skiing, and hiking. Tickets are available at www.thebloom.com Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival ® president, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce another hometown connection to the exciting lineup of the festival’s guest celebrities. Kate Flannery, multi-talented entertainer and former Shenandoah University student, will be serving as the Co-Grand Marshal alongside Brian Sullivan for the 2023 Live, Love, Bloom springtime extravaganza. Kate Flannery is an actor, singer, and writer best known for her nine seasons as Meredith, the drunk, on NBC’s The Office. Kate was a fan favorite on Season 28 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. She has guest starred on many TV shows like CBS’s Young Sheldon, FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and New Girl, ABC’s American Housewife and has recurred on shows like Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe & Comedy Central’s, Another Period. Kate has been seen in many Indie films including the soon-to-be released HBO film, Golden Arm. Kate toured with the Dancing with the Stars Live Tour at Radio City and 40 cities before the COVID-19 shut down. Kate sings with Jane Lynch in their anti-cabaret act, Two Lost Souls, seen in performing arts centers and theaters across the country and at the Cafe Carlyle in NYC. Kate is also featured on Jane’s hit album, A Swingin’ Little Christmas, which was in the Billboard top 10 for several weeks. Audiences have also seen Kate in her cult comedy lounge act, The Lampshades, and during her time in Chicago’s Second City national touring company. Kate will appear in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 6 at 1:30 p.m. The appearance of the parade grand marshals is sponsored by P&G. Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® president, Sharen Gromling, is honored to name Brian Sullivan as Grand Marshal of the 2023 Festival. The 1989 James Wood High School graduate and anchor of CNBC’s new 7:00pm ET show, “Last Call,” is excited to return to his hometown. In addition to anchoring, Brian is also Senior National Correspondent for the network, covering some of the nation’s biggest stories. In his 25 years of financial journalism and television experience, Sullivan has reported from five continents. The Emmy-nominated journalist has been nominated twice for the prestigious Loeb Award, including being recognized as one of the first journalists to highlight the coming risks of the subprime housing bubble as early as 2006. Sullivan joined CNBC in 2011 after 15 years in the financial broadcasting industry. Prior to that, he traded chemical commodities for Mitsubishi Bank. Brian has a B.A. in political science from Virginia Tech, where he serves on the Alumni Board, a Certificate in Journalism from New York University, and a law degree from Brooklyn Law School. In his free time, he spends time with his wife, Julie, and two children. He also enjoys auto racing and began his career at nearby Summit Point Raceway. In ninth grade, his family moved here from San Diego, where his father grew up. His father, Tom, raced and his uncle Danny Sullivan, a prominent Winchester businessman, spent many years winning races at Winchester Speedway. His grandfather George owned a Gulf gas station in Stephens City for years in the 1950s and 60s and his aunts Barbara and Cheryl are also James Wood graduates. He would like to remind everyone that the James Wood class of 1989 is clearly the best. And he will see everyone downtown! Sullivan will attend festival events throughout the day on Friday, May 5 and will ride through his hometown streets in the Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade at 5:30 p.m. and the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 6, at 1:30 p.m. P&G is sponsoring the appearance of Sullivan as Grand Marshal. Tickets to Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events. The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® Souvenir Store and Ticket Outlet officially opens on Friday morning, April 7 at 10:00 am. The store is located inside the Apple Blossom Mall, 1850 Apple Blossom Drive, Winchester, VA in the Belk wing of the mall. Officially themed apparel and merchandise, event tickets and locally crafted artisan goods are available for sale between April 7 through May 7, 2023. Store hours are:
Monday-Thursday 10am - 8pm Friday and Saturday 10am -9pm Sunday 11-6pm Festival fans are also encouraged to visit www.thebloom.com where they can order officially themed apparel and merchandise. Local artisan goods are only available for purchase at the store in the Apple Blossom Mall. For more information, contact the Festival office at (540) 662-3863. Festival President, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce Kenny Wallace as Firefighters’ Marshal for the 96th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Wallace is a retired NASCAR driver renowned for his racing prowess and national television on-air persona. As our Firefighters Marshall Kenny Wallace will kick off the parade with “start your engines” as he leads the festival fire truck brigade through crowd-lined streets in historic downtown Winchester, VA. Wallace set the NASCAR record in 2011 for most career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, amassing nine wins, 10 pole positions, 66 top-five and 173 top-10 finishes in the 547 Xfinity starts. His racing career spans more than 25 years having competed in more than 900 races in NASCAR’s top three racing divisions. The 1986 American Speed Association (ASA) 22-year-old rookie-of-the-year made his NASCAR debut driving with Dale Earnhardt, finishing seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. He transitioned into a full-time Xfinity Series ride in 1989 for a team fielded by his brother Rusty Wallace, where he was rookie-of-the-year and completed the season sixth in the point standing. In 1991 Wallace finished runner-up in the Xfinity Series points and is only one of four NASCAR drivers to have won the Most Popular Driver award multiple times. Wallace had his final start in the 2015 Iowa Speedway NASCAR Series race as he drove for Joe Gibbs Racing. He brought his infectious humor, trademark laugh, and widespread popularity when he worked as an analyst for NASCAR Raceday on FS1, covering the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Retired from NASCAR driving, Wallace, who is held in high esteem in his field for “racing anything and everything”, continues to race his No. 36 Toyota DIRTcar in more than 60 dirt races per year, a consciously scaled-back effort from years past to afford him more family time. He is the son of accomplished short-track racer, Russ Wallace, and brother of NASCAR drivers Rusty and Mike Wallace. Born in St. Louis, Wallace was nicknamed “Herman” after the mischievous “Herman the German” cartoon character for his boisterous, full-of-himself behavior. Wallace and his wife, Kim, have three daughter, two granddaughters and one grandson. His family lived in North Carolina for several years during his NASCAR career before moving back to St. Louis in 2016. Wallace will be attending festival events on Friday, May 5, including the Coronation, presented by Morgan Orthodontics, where he will be knighted by Queen Isabella Astin prior to leading the Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade at 5:30 p.m. Additionally, he will be an added speaker on Saturday, May 6, at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at the Tolley Dental Zone in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletic and Event Center on Shenandoah University Campus. He will then ride in 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. Winchester, VA – Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® President, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce the area’s top high school and college student-athletes. Students are chosen each year to represent their school during the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast which takes place during the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® on Saturday morning, May 6, 2023, at 8:00 am inside the Tolley Dental Zone at James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University. The 2023 outstanding local student-athletes include: Andrew Link - James Wood High School Andrew has earned both his academic and varsity letters at James Wood. He has earned two for football, two for basketball and will earn his fourth letter this season in track and field. Honors include being Team Captain for basketball and track. Andrew earned All-State Honors in 2021 for both the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles and in 2022 for 300 meter hurdles. He earned a district championship in the 300m hurdles in 2021 and 2022 and in the 110m hurdles in 2022. He also earned a regional championship for 300m hurdles in 2022 and 55m hurdles in 2023. He is 3rd all-time at James Wood in both the 55m and 300m hurdles. Andrew earned the “Most Outstanding Sprinter/Hurdler” award by his coaches in 2021 and 2022. He has been a two-year starter for basketball and earned the “Coaches Award” for basketball in 2023. He played Tight End, Wide Receiver, and Linebacker for varsity football. Andrew was also awarded “Senior Player of the Game” for football in 2022 and earned the Sportsmanship award. Andrew is an Eagle Scout and member of the National Honor Society. Andrew has a 4.15 GPA and plans to attend the United States Coast Guard Academy where he will continue running track. Jamie Mae Kelly – Skyline High School Jamie Mae Kelly is from Front Royal, Virginia and attends Skyline High School. Over her four-year high school career, Jamie has earned 12 varsity letters (4 volleyball/4 basketball/4 softball). In volleyball, Jamie was Team Captain her junior and senior seasons. During her junior season she was Second Team All-District. Her senior season Jamie was First Team All-District, Second Team All-Region, and First Team NV Daily All-Area team while also being voted Skyline Volleyball MVP. As a three-time team MVP basketball player, Jamie was Second Team All-District as a freshman, First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region in both her sophomore and junior seasons, before exploding into First Team All-District and First-Team All-Region her senior season. Jamie was on the Strasburg Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team during both her junior and senior years, as well as First Team NV Daily All-Area team both her junior and season seasons. Jamie reached a career milestone this past season when she scored her 1000th career point and leaves the Hawks as their second all-time leading scorer. Currently in her senior softball season, Jamie Kelly earned both Second Team All-District and Second Team All-Region her sophomore and junior seasons and was awarded First-Team NV Daily All-Area as a junior shortstop/pitcher. Jamie has a 3.52 GPA and has signed to play collegiate softball for Potomac State College next season. Sara Waller – Warren County High School Sara has earned 11 Varsity letters for Warren County High School, playing 4 years of Varsity Volleyball and Softball, and 3 years of Varsity Basketball. Sara has been named 2nd team All-District and 2nd team All-Region for her sophomore and junior years in Softball and junior year in basketball. Sara has been a 4-year starter and 2-year team captain on the varsity volleyball team where she earned 2nd team All-District and All-Region honors as a sophomore and 1st team All-District and All-Region honors as a junior. During the 2022 season, Sara helped lead her team to a Region 3B Championship and State Semi-Final appearance. During this run, Sara was named 1st team All-District, 1st team All-Region along with Region 3B Player of the Year and 1st team All-State for Class 3. Sara was also named the 2022 Northern Virginia Daily Player of the Year. Sara is ranked 5th in her graduating class with a 4.19 GPA. She is the Senior Class Vice-President, the National Honor Society Historian, and the Vice President of Hospitality for the Warren County High School DECA program which competes at the National level. Sara intends to continue her volleyball career in college while studying Marine Biology. Emma Ahrens – Sherando High School Emma Ahrens has earned 10 varsity letters at Sherando (4 cross country/2 indoor track/3 outdoor track/1 band). She is a five-time state qualifier, and two time state medalist in cross country and the indoor 3200m. She is also a national qualifier in the indoor 3200m and 5000m. Emma earned Winchester Star and Northern Virginia Daily honors in each of her seasons between freshman and senior year. She also plays two instruments in multiple bands at Sherando and is active in Student Council and National Honors Society. Emma has a 4.25 GPA and has committed to run cross country and track for Concordia University Wisconsin in the fall. Christopher LeBlanc- Clarke County High School Christopher LeBlanc has earned 6 Varsity letters, 4 from Soccer and 2 from football. Due to covid his freshman year he was a 3-year starter at the midfield/attacking positions from his sophomore year to senior. In his sophomore season from 2020-21 he earned 1st team All-District, and Region. His junior season from 2021-22 he won the Class 2 state championship and earned 1st team All-District, Region, and all Area by the Winchester Star. He also earned 2nd team All-State. For his current senior season, he is expected to perform well again and make a deep run into states. During his 2021-22 junior season in football, he earned 1st team All-District, Region, and Area by the Winchester Star for punting and kicking. His senior year from 2022-23 he earned 1st team All-District, Region, Area by the Winchester Star, and 2nd team state, for punting. He earned 2nd team All-District, Region, Area by the Winchester Star, and state for kicking. Chris was also a member of the Screamin’ Eagles Marching Band from his 8th-10th grade years and was a section leader starting his freshman year. He has also been a member of DECA since his junior year. Christopher has a 3.889 GPA and has signed a letter of intent with Shenandoah University to play football. Emerson Fusco – Handley High School Emerson Fusco has earned 7 varsity letters at John Handley High School. He was a 3-year starter in Football as a Defensive Back and Running Back. He earned All-District and All-Region Honors his junior and senior years and was All-Area for the Winchester Star both seasons. On the hardwood for the Judges, Fusco was a 4-year starter. He was All-District and All-Region and was the Northwestern District Player of the Year his junior and senior years. Additionally, he was voted the Region 4C Player of the Year his senior season and garnered All-State Honors. He also scored the 2nd most points all time at Handley, scoring 43 points in a playoff game vs Sherando. He was also the Winchester Star Player of the Year his junior year (has not been released to date for 2022-23). He has a 3.4 GPA and will play college basketball next year. Nicholas Hayden- Millbrook High School Nicholas Hayden is a senior cross country/track and field athlete from Millbrook High School. Nicholas has earned state titles in the 800m outdoor and 1000m indoor races. He also has five district titles and two region titles between track and cross country. He holds Millbrook High School records in the 500m, 800m, 1000m, 5000m, and 4x400m relay. He was the 2022 Winchester Start Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Nicholas is a member of Millbrook’s Chapter of the National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America. Nicholas has a 4.465 GPA and will attend and run track for Columbia University, majoring in Finance. Kailyn Allanson – Legacy Christian Academy Kailyn Allanson is a senior at Legacy Christian Academy. She has played Varsity Volleyball for 4 years and was a part of the 2022 National Championship team. Kailyn has a GPA of 3.18. She will attend Arizona State University to study Criminal Justice. Miles Moore – Shenandoah University Miles Moore from Richmond, Virginia graduated from Manchester High School. He is currently a senior at Shenandoah University and ran all 4 years for the Hornets while playing football 2 of those years. He has set numerous records at Shenandoah breaking the 100 meter dash, indoor 200 meters dash, outdoor 200 dash, 4x100m relay, and the 4x200m relay records. Miles is a 6-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) champion. He received USTFCCCA All-American in March for the Indoor 200 meters placing 8th at the NCAA Championships. Miles earned USTFCCCA All-Region, All-ODAC, and VaSID All-State. Miles intends to use final year of eligibility to run at Mount St. Mary University receiving his master’s degree in Sports Management. Ella Drury – Mountain View Christian Academy
Ella Drury has been a student of Mountain View Christian Academy for the last four years. She is a member of the graduating class of 2023 and is President of the Academy’s Student Government Association. During her high school career, she has been an SGO and National Honor Society member for two years and a member of Mountain View’s Drama department for all four. She played varsity volleyball her junior and senior year as a middle hitter. She is also a part of the Academy’s Chapel Worship team, where she sings and plays guitar. Ella has a GPA of 3.7. After high school Ella plans to stay in her hometown of beautiful Winchester, VA to work and save money until she feels secure enough to move to New York City, where she will begin a career in acting. Tickets to the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast are available at www.thebloom.com/events. |
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
May 2024
Categories
All
|