Evening star., 1940-05-02
Shenandoah Festival
Opens With Sunshine
But No Blossoms
Thousands Flock
To Winchester for
Coronation Today
By . Staff Correspondent of The Star.


Under clearing skies, but without
benefit of blossoms, the Shenandoah
Apple Blossom Festival program got
under way today with thousands of
visitors from Washington and near
by Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland on hand.
The Festival Committee missed its
guess that the thousands of trees
In the commercial orchards would
be in bloom by the first of May, but
the miscalculation had no apparent
effect on the visitors arriving to
witness the colorful ceremonies.
Heavy showers blown in on a
brisk wind shortly after the queens
arrival last night continued until
early today, but clearing skies
brought out bright sunshine with
cooler temperatures. A few decora-
tions whipped by the wind had been
replaced and last minute prepara-
tions were complete for the outdoor
ceremonies of coronation and
pageantry.
Queen Will Be 18 Tomorrow.
Over seven converging highways,
festive throngs were pouring into
town to see the coronation ceremony
this afternoon in the Handley High
School Stadium when DR.. Henry F..
Grady, Assistant Secretary of State,
will place the crown on the brow
of Senorita Lillian Somoza, daugh-
ter OF the President of Nicaragua,
and proclaim her Queen Shenan-
doah XVII"
The young queen, who will OBJ
serve her 18th birthday anniversary
during the festivities tomorrow, ar
rived yesterday from Gunston Hall
in Washington, with a classmate,
Miss Rebecca Morgan of Charleston,
w. Va, who will be West Virginia's
ofiicial representative at the fete.
She was chaperoned by her aunt,
Sonora De Bayle, wife of the Mica
raguan Minister in Washington.
They were escorted by William Har-
ris and State officers.
During her stay Senorita Somoza
will be the guest of Mrs. Richard
E. Byrd. She was the honor guest
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she had posed with her princesses
and other attendants in the morn
ing in orchards, where here and
there an early variety had burst
into bloom.
Despite the weather, indications
were everywhere that the festival
was to be celebrated with traditional
gaiety. Hotels were filled to over
flowing and many tourist and ROOM
ing houses reported "sell-outs." The
streets were decorated with bunting
Of green, pink and white and stream
ers and welcome" banners greet
ed new arrivals.
Mummers Parade Tonight.
Firemen from 40 companies and
bandsmen had FURNISHED their ap-
paratus in preparation for the num-
mers' parade tonight, after which
there will be a fireworks display at
Handley Stadium. Meanwhile, the
queen and her princesses will be
entertained at reception and
dance.
The pageant will be repeated to-
morrow morning without the queen
and her court. They will watch an
aerial show at the Admiral Byrd
Airport before the official luncheon
at noon.
Various forms of entertainment
had been provided by committees
for the crowds as "fill-ins" between
highlights of the program. These
included band concerts, a ventrilo-
quist and magician on a City Hall
plaza platform, and "vox pop" radio
broadcasting feature.
The queens coronation at 3 pm.
at the stadium was listed as the first
OF the stellar attractions. She was
to be attired in white net over
creamy satin. Little Miss Mary
Marshall Steck, granddaughter of
John M. Steck, lawyer and pioneer
apple grower, is to bear the crown
on white satin pillow.
Old Coronation Ritual.
The coronation ceremony is an
adaptation of that used for the
crowning of kings and queens in
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chester, which ante-dated London,
and was prepared by the Rev. DR..
S. L. Flickinger, pastor of Centenary
Reformed Church, an authority on
liturgy.
The pageant, THE Quest of
Beauty" written in poetic style by
Garland R. Quarles, city school
superintendent, which follows i'm
mediately after the coronation, will
be in three parts, lasting about an
hour and a half. In the first are
flag groups, boys and girls in color
full costumes, forming by drills such
emblems as that of the 13 colonies,
the Confederate flag and finally
"The Star Spangled Banner" while
the Handley Band plays suitable
music.
Beauties of the classics, the Orient,
Holland, folk celebrations and the
Old South are introduced in inter-
pretative dances, which include the
dance of the Trojan maidens, Aurora
and the ball dance, in Persian mar
ket, the feast Of the rajah, Dutch
dance, folk and polka numbers.
The third and final episode por-
trays in poetry, music and dancing
the beauties Of apple blossoms.
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