Evening star., 1941-05-01
Winchester
Begins Apple
Blossom Fete
Queen Opens 1t With
Tour to See Few
Remaining Blooms
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG,
c.ar staff Corrs.nopdAp+

WINCHESTER, Va, May Am
eager-eyed queen and her court Of
80 coed princesses. opening the 18th
annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom
Festival today. went forth into the
orchards in search of blossoms and
found them, but not without difh-
Guilty.
In fact, it took a bit of riding
about to find an orchard with enough,
blooms to make picture-purpoSe
of the tour-and even the remaining
petals were futtering to the ground
as Queen Mollie Foulkes Lee and her
retinue posed.
It was, all told, a trif1e late for the
blossoms, in view of the early spring.
But the Festival Committee felt
that it was vindicated to an extent
in choosing the date, since there
were some blossoms left.
Commenting on reports that the,
blossoms all would be gone befors
festival time. Tom Baldridge, di-
rector of the committee, waved an
arm about a blooming orchard Of
late varieties of York and Delicious
trees and said: Somebody who
didn't know about blossoms must
have spread that word.
The Queens Gown.
The queen wore the gown in
which she was TO attend the corona
ton this afternoon. Her bodice was
of white satin with line of pearls
down the front Her skirt of many
LAYERS of net was adorned with tiny
satin bows. From her shoulders
trailed a 15-foot train of heavy
white satin decked at the collar and
foot with seed pearls.
Carrying the train we're two
young girls from Manchester, Eng
land. They were Brenda Carter, Is,
and Betty EdmondS. Is. The latter
is daughter of the former Mayor of
the English Winchester and is stay
ing with the Mayor here.
The two refugees Conf1ded that
they had gone to the White House
once. but this is even better"
Trailing around with the queen
was 7-year-old Ann Arthur, the little
crown bearer
AS petals f1uttered down on the
dark curls of the queen. she gave q
small shrek. The photographers
had to stop their work while a bee
was unearthed from the second layer
of her skirt.
Town Has Holiday Air.
/ Although the queen will have of1-
eial escorts throughout the two-day
/ festival, that chore was taken over
! during the morning by a corps of
enthusiastic State policemen, one Of
/ whom was heard to say: She looks
] Just like Deanna Durbin."
! With bunting draped on stores and
dangling from lamppoStS, the town
wore a holiday air Some of the
/ stores were closed for the day, as
were the schools. and the bank de-
/ clared half holiday. The Festival
Committee was particularly en-
thusiastic about the sunshine.
The queens party arrived b, auto
| mobile last night after a brief stop
at the Mayf1oWer Hotel in Washing
ton. where Miss Lee was presented
ticket to the Virginia Garden Tour
sponsored by the Bundles for Britain.
! There she was met by the VIM
chester Festival Committee, includ-
ing Mrs, H. B. McCormac, her
official hostess: Mrs B. B. Dutton.
Mrs. Fred L. Glaize, jr.: Thomas
Baldridge, jr., director general of
the celebration. and H. B. McCor-
mac. jr.; Mrs. George Kalbach and
/ Miss Maroaret Snider
/ Coronation To-Day.
After a dinner last night at the
home of Mrs. McCormac, the
queens party attended a pre-festi-
val dance at the Winchester Coli
Club
The tour this morning opened the
program of Governors Day"
which will be featured by the corr
onation ceremony.
/ Edward R. Stettinius, jr. of the
Office of Production Management,
was to place the crown in the the
formal ceremony at which Queen
Shenandoah will be attended by
military cadets and members of her
court.
The first formal presentation Of
the pageant will follow. About 1000
boys ano girls in costume are to
take part. with Garland r. Quarles,
city school superintendent. acting as
reader. Mrs. Edward Barr and Miss
Katherine Pannill of the faculty will
! direct the program, The score will
be played by the Handley Band, w.
II. McIlwce directing.
Tea Dance Today.
I The queen and her attendants are
to be central figures at tea dance
in the late afternoon at the golf
club, and few hours later the
festival ruler is to hold a reception
for princesses and maids of honor
al the new National Guard armory.
During the festivities today, Ram.
sey S. Black, Third Assistant Post.
master General, will present the
queen one of the new defense bonds
in ceremonies at which he will be
assisted by Gov. Price and POST
master W. Nelson Page OF Winches-
ter.
Firemen of Winchester and nu-
merouS cities and towns of the Shens
andoah and Cumberland Valleys
will hold an old-time torchlight and
mummers parade, starting at
o'clock tonight, to be followed by
fireworks extravaganza at Handley
Stadium.
The official program also listed
numerous band concerts during the
day and evening, as well as a sky
show at the municipal airport.
The school pageant is to be re-
peated at 1890 am. tomorrow. The
queens parade, often called the
Trail of the Pink Petals" is to get
under way at pm, concluding with
a massed band concert. The queens
ball at pm. tomorrow will bring
the celebration to a close.