The Washington times., 1929-04-12
WINCHESTER Is
PREPARING
FOR RFETE

de In full bloom around this city
next week. has thrown this peaceful
old municipality into a fever of ac-.
tivity.
Old and young alike are bending
every effort to prepare for the great.
est event of the year. the Sixth
Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival
next Thursday and Friday.
Carloads Of decoration are being
rushed to Winchester to bedeck her
bustling business district. Every
barn and garage within a radius Of
so miles is housing the chassis of
floats to furnish beauty for the daily
parades during the festival.
More than 500 school children are
drilling for the great four-part
pageant which will be one of the
star attractions. Every seamstress
in winchester Is burning midnight
oil to insure the proper equipment
OF the princesses and the queens,
the kings and testers, the regiments
of school children and the many
other characters who have such
major parts in the rejoicing at Win
chester.
Director Busy
J. Victor Arthur, director general
of the Festival, is struggling under
q thousand problems. Not the least
of these Is the answering of some
10000 inquiries for rooms. for the
date OF the festival, for quarters
for the many guests of the festival.
These including the so most beauti-
full girls of Virginia, Maryland, and
West Virginia. who are coming.
In this he is being assisted by
every civic organization of the town,
and many of his burdens are being
born by Andrew Bell, and the local
chamber Of commerce, of which he
is secretary.
West Virginia is planning to take
first place and usurp most OF the
honors at the festival this year.
Headed by their governor and 21
floats which are a part Of the
West Virginia official exhibit, the
people of West Virginia will send
thousands Of school children and
uniformed cadet and musical units
to the affair.
Schools Participate
There is scarcely school in the
historic valley of the Shenandoah
that will not be represented by
large unit OF its student body. In
these units will be many uniformed
groups of cadets, and the student
bodies of some Of the schools of
semi-military nature.
They will march up the valley
where Jackson and Sheridan and
MANY other generals fought the
historic engagements of the Civil
War. These units will camp
around. Winchester, and like the
soldiers of the war between the
States, will take it by storm.
Organization of a sight seeing
service is going forward under the
direction Of a committee and the
Chamber of Commerce. The Cham
ber of Commerce has had more
than 40 signs prepared for posting
at the historic homes and spots
around Winchester, so that visitors
will be in a position to get the
most out OF their visit
Trips Through Valley
Cars and busses are being mobil.
lied so that the visitors can be
taken through the beautiful Shen-
andoah Valley orchards during their
stay. Orchardists are granting per.
mission for visitors to go every
where on their farms and inspect
the blooms. The transportation
committee is preparing several
itineraries so that visitors may see
to the best advantage all of the
things of interest.
Setting of the date of the festival
so early in the year, necessitated
by the warm weather, has caused
the festival organization one of it's
greatest problems, the accomplish.
ment of almost a months work in
less than a fortnight.
West Virginians will stage the
greatest pageant in the history of
the State. according to Mr.. Arthur.
Twenty events will be depicted |
These cover thoroughly the history
of West Virginia.
Historical Episodes.
Episodes include the life of the
Indians, the hunters and trappers,
the early pioneers, the Revolutionary
period, the social life of the time, |
depicted by Old Fiddlers, old tourna-
ment scenes, the history of Harper's
Ferry. John Browns raid, blue and |
gray units OF the war between the |
States from West Virginia, husking
bees, old-time singing schools. Cuban
and World War episodes and many
other unique and interesting fea-
lures.
Among the units participating from
West Virginia are: the Berkley Hunt
Club, the American Legion, the Mar.
tinsburg Woman's Club, the Ameri.
can Legion, several counties, the
Martinsburg Wild Life League, the
lodges of the Red Men, the Daugh.
fers of the American Revolution, the
Kiwanis clubs, the Grand Army of
the Republic and United Daughters
of the Confederacy.
Brown Chairman
The West Virginia section of the
parade will be headed by heralds
and flags of the State, followed by
the West Virginia band. and will be
approximately mile long. M M
Brown is general chairman of the
West Virginia section. and he is De-
ing assisted by Miss Betty Eckhardt,
Sta, recreation specialist. The ar.
rangements are also being supervised
by the Festival Executive Commit.
tee of West Virginia, with head
quarters at the Martinsburg cham.
ber of commerce.
d. nsnS - YTsL-H