It’s time for the “Bloom” as the people in Winchester say!! Every year since 1924, Winchester, Virginia has a whole two weeks dedicated to apple blossoms. I did a post about the Apple Blossom Parade, but this time I am doing this post on how people get ready for the festivities!!

They always choose Grand Marshals and Queens for the Grand Parade!!

In the past they have had famous celebrities like Lucille Ball as Grand Marshal and Luci Baines Johnson as Queen…

and Bob Hope as Grand Marshal in 1975!!

However, as time goes on and celebrities charge lots of money for their appearances, the famous people in the parades are less well known!! This year the celebrities are:

Queen Shenandoah XCVI
Isabella “Bella” Louise Astin (daughter of Sean Astin and granddaughter of John Astin and Patty Duke)

Festival Co-Grand MarshalsKate Flannery, Actor, Singer, and Writer
Brian Sullivan, CNBC’s “Last Call” Anchor

Festival Honorary Grand Marshals
Kathy & Nick Nerangis

Firefighters’ Marshal
Kenny Wallace, Retired NASCAR Driver

Festival Co-Sports Marshals
Eric Dickerson, Hall of Fame Running Back
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​Nazeeh Johnson, Super Bowl LVII Champion

Festival Special Guests
​Gary Clark, Two-Time Super Bowl Champion and Washington Redskins Wide Receiver

Noah Thompson, 2022 American Idol Winner

Hunter Girl, 2022 American Idol Runner-up

Victoria Chuah, Miss Virginia

Amanda Short, Miss Apple Blossom 2023

Gracie Clarke, Miss Apple Blossom Oustanding Teen 2023
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Natalie Woodward, Miss Virginia Association of Fairs 2023

Phil Glaize, Court Ambassador

The businesses in the city go all out with pink and green decorations, which are the colors promoted since the Festival has began.

More stores and businesses decked out for the big parade, when crowds of people will convene upon this city!!

Scout groups, churches and home owners sell seats in front of their houses, to watch the parade!

Pink and green buntings, flags, wreaths and even hanging jewels from trees adorn homes…everyone has some form of pink and green in front of their houses!!

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So, I had to join in the pink and green…

Wanting to design my own wreath, I bought the grapevine wreath and silk flowers and greens at Joann’s!!

And this is the finished product!!

I planted pink flowers in the potted greens and Gina gave me the beautiful Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival Flag, ready for sightseers to enjoy!!

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What would an Apple Blossom blog post be without an apple recipe?? Here is a simple and tasty one…

Three ingredients for Cinnamon Apple Chips with a mandoline slicer!!

Cinnamon Apple Chips

Ingredients

• 2 Golden Delicious apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Arrange apple slices in a single layer on a parchment paper covered metal baking sheet.
• Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle over apple slices.

Bake in the preheated oven until apples are dried and edges curl, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Use a metal spatula to transfer chips to a wire rack until cool and crispy. 

If desired, you can flip the apple slices halfway through baking and sprinkle them with more cinnamon sugar.

These photos show…Slicing the apples on the mandoline, PLEASE BE CAREFUL!! I cut my thumb doing it, because, as you can see, I didn’t use the finger guard!! Put the sliced apples on parchment paper, covered cookie sheet. Then bake until browned.

The cinnamon apple chips are crispy, sweet and so good for you…even better for you, leave out the sugar and they will still be sweet and yummy!! A great snack to take on a car ride, picnic or Apple Blossom Parade!!

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Some fun apple quotes!!

“The apple cannot be stuck back on the Tree of Knowledge; once we begin to see, we are doomed and challenged to seek the strength to see more, not less.” Arthur Miller

“When bobbing for apples, an idealist endlessly reaches for the best apple, a pessimist settles for the first one within reach, while an optimist drains the barrel, fishes out all the apples and makes pie.” Vera Nazarian

“When I was in the hospital they gave me apple juice every morning, even after I told them I didn’t like it. I had to get even. One morning, I poured the apple juice into the specimen tube. The nurse held it up and said, ‘It’s a little cloudy.’ I took the tube from her and said, ‘Let me run it through again,’ and drank it. The nurse fainted.” Alan King

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