Evening star., 1940-05-03
Winchester Festival
Moves 10 Climax
In Parade Today
Trail Of Pink PetoIs'
Will Proceed Despite
UnfovorobIe Weather
Special Dispatch to The Star,

WINCHESTER, Va, May 3.-De-
spite unfavorable weather, the COL
orful Shenandoah Apple Blossom
Festival moved toward its climax
today, the Trail of the Pink
Petals" in which Queen Shenan-
doah XVII will ride at the head of
the procession, concluding the two
day celebration.
The queen, pretty, dark-eyed Miss
Lillian Somoza, daughter of the
President of Nicaragua, was crowned
yesterday before an audience of
more than 10000 in the Handley
High School Stadium by Henry F.
Grady, Assistant Secretary of State,
one of many high officials of the
American and Nicaraguan republics
gathered to witness the ceremony.
In private life a student at Gum
ston Hall, Miss Somoza was crowned
In ceremony following the pattern
OF rites incident to medieval corona
tions.
Queens 18th Birthday.
Today was the 18th birthday an
niversary of the queen and she cut
huge white cake during the off,
cial luncheon for the queen and her
court at the residence of Mr.. and
Mrs. John NJ Steck. Guests were
served with birthday cake by her
majesty in person while toasts were
drunk to her health.
The Latin American beauty was
delighted with the Southern hos
pitality in Winchester and admitted
she was having the biggest birthday
party of her life. Bands and Or
chestras played HAPPY birthday"
numbers wherever she went.
The coveted honor of being the
unit to march directly in front of
the festival queen was bestowed by
the parade managers on the Amer
lean Legion Guard of Honor Of Ar
lington, Va, with its massed colors
and special drum and bugle corps
escort.
More than 1000 school children
made pink and white apple blos-
SONS and green leaves of crepe
paper for the decoration of the
queens fioat-an immense creation
of white and gold.
Events Will Go On.
Officials announced early today
that the schedule of events would
be followed regardless of the weather
There was a heavy mist and the
mercury hovered in the low 40s, but
hope was held for somewhat clearer
weather later in the day.
Miss Somoza was dressed in white
tulle over an empire gown of creamy
satin with long court train for the
regal ceremonies yesterday. More
than 80 princesses in flowered
organdie and large Leghorn hats
attended her. After receiving the
crown from DR.. Grady she was pre-
sented with the scepter and golden
apple.
Miss Ann Elizabeth Robinson and
Cover Kern, junior maids of honor,
carried the queens train, and Miss
Mary Marshall Steck was the crown
bearer. Benjamin Blanton Du+-
ton, jr., and Maurice Lynch Duffey
were other junior attendants.
The Maids of Honor.
Principal maids of honor were
Miss Louise Moore and Miss Eliza
beth Darlington Pierce, both of Win
chester. Thirty-two colleges in Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, Maryland.
Pennsylvania and the District of
Columbia were represented among
the princesses.
Cadets of Massanutten Military
Academy of Woodstock, in full dress,
formed a guard of honor on either
side of the queen and her court.
A stirring Latin American number
was played by the Handley High
School Band at the conclusion of
the ceremony.
Immediately after the coronation,
1000 Handley boys and girls pre-
sented a gay pageant, THE Quest
of Beauty" under the direction of
Mrs. Virginia Boyd Barr, teacher
OF physical education. The pageant,
intended as special tribute to the
queen and her court, lasted an hour
and half in the chilling breeze.
The queen and her party donned
their wraps but the performers in
the ballets, pantomimes and choral
numbers skipped about in tulle cos
tunes of pastel shades. The Handley
Band under the direction of w. O.
Mc1lwee played the musical score.