The Washington times., 1931-05-04
QUEEN To OPEN
. BIC FESTIVAL
TOMORROW
Coronation Will Mark Start
Of Celebration; Plans Made
To Care for 10000 Guests
Bq FRANKLIN G. sARTWELL

BQ FRANKLIN G. SARTWELL
WINCHESTER, Va, May 4.
Crowds from all over the eastern
section of the country began
flocking into Winchester today to
attend the eighth annual apple
blossom festival to be held here
tomorrow and Wednesday.
The narrow streets of the down
town section early today began to
show the influx of visitors. Hun
dreds of automobiles with license
tags Of foreign states" crowded
the area around the towns three
principal hotels while continuous
streams of tourists visited the
many historic points of interest.
100000 Visitors Expected
All hotel rooms have long been
reserved and members of the fes
tival committee today were busy
trying to arrange accommodations
in private homes for late arrivals
who had not made previous ar
rangements.
Judging from experience of the
seven festivals which have been
held, Nelson F. Richards, director
general, and his assistants esti-
mate that more than 10000 per.
sons will be attracted to the city
for the celebration of the oIOS.
SOming of the millions of apple
trees Of the vicinity.
Buses and trains arriving to-
day were crowded with the va1-
guard of the immense throng. and
the principal highways leading
into the city were crowded with
hundreds of private cars.
While thousands arrived today,
the bulk of the expected throngS
will not reach the city until to-
morrow morning, when the feS
tival will formally open.
City in Holiday Dress
Workmen today were busy put
ting the finishing touches on the
elaborate decorations which have
been placed on all streets and
business houses. The colors of the
festival, pink, white and green,
az displayed everywhere, and
large branches of apple blossoms
have been brought in from nearly
orchards as further beautifying
touch.
Miss Patricia ID. Morton, of
Winchester, England, who will
reign as Queen Shenandoah VIII
over the tWO-day revelS, today
held a final rehearsal of the
elaborate coronation ceremony
which is to be held tomorrow.
In her honor citizens of Win
chester are flying the British
flag along with the Stars and
Stripes.
The coronation of Miss Nor.
ton will be the feature of tomor-
rows festival. Rear Admiral
Richard E. Byrd, famed explorer
and a native of Winchester, will
present her with the crown of
apple bloss decked with
Jewels.
Prior to the coronation tomor-
row the festival will start with
the Parade of the Blossoms"
Thousands of school children
from Virginia, West Virginia aid
Maryland will take part in the
procession, which will be made
colorful by gay costumes worn
by the marcherS. Towns through
out the Shenandoah Valley are
sending large delegations OF chill
dren for this event.
Band Contest Follows
The parade will terminate at
the Handley High School, and
will be followed by contests
among the score or more visit
ing bands. The band contest
will be followed by the corona
ton.
Immediately after Queen Shen-
andoah has ascended her throne,
800 students and teachers of the
local school will present a pre-
tentious pageant, "The Fruit Of
the Gods"
A torchlight parade and sew
eral balls tomorrow night will
end the first days festivities.
The principal event of the second
day will be the feature parade,
1.-THE Trail of the Pink Petals"
Miss Morton, who has always
been a keen student of the history
of the South and is now getting
her first view of the romantic
Virginia country, is "just thrilled"
with it all.
Yesterday she visited many of
the Shrines of the historic Shen-
andoah Valley. First. she attended
service at old Christ Episcopal
Church, occupying the MCGUIRE
pew with her mother and Mr.. and
Mrs. Hunter MCGUIRE, their hosts.
Visits Fairfax Tomb
Later, she visited the tomb of
Lord Fairfax. the English noble
man, who was once proprietor of
all of the northern neck of Vir-
ginia.
Following this, the young queen
motored to HarriSonburg and
visited the famous caverns, and
wound up the days program with
a visit to the home of Miss Mar
garet Grafton, who will be one
of the princesSes of her court.
CLUB TO HEAR OF MOROS