Evening star., 1947-05-01
Apple Blossom
Festival Opens
|Af Winchester
Tuck Is Scheduled
To Grown Miss Lone
As Queen Of Fete
By Horriet 6riffiths
Star Sfaff corrssnancl.nt

Sfar Staff Correspondent
WINCHESTER, Va, May IA
warm sun was shining on the or.
chards this morning as Queen Shen-
andoah Xxx visited the apple bios.
SONS, now approaching fun bloom
Tor the goth annual festival to be
celebrated here today and tomorrow,
I think they're beautiful, and
I'm so glad they're out" said Miss
Jean Cartwright Lane, 1e, daughter
OF Maryland's Gov. Lane, who is to
oe crowned this afternoon at the
Handley School bowl by Gov. Tuck
of. Virginia.
The queen, In her white satin
gown, and the 80 princesses in green
plaid, including Miss Jeannine
Hellums of Washington made a
colorful picture against the setting
of the blossoms. The queens three
personal escorts are Dick Rhodes,
Howard Allen and BENJAMIN B.
Dutton, jr., all of Winchester.
There was some threat of showers
later in the day, but the thousands
OF visitors pouring into the city to
Join in the festivities celebrating
the blossoming of spring in the
apple section were greeted by sunny
skies and a temperature approach.
ing 80 degrees today.
Decorations Undamaged.
BY the festivals end, more than
l25,000 visitors are expected to have
visited the city. Hotels and many
tourist homes have long been booked.
but Chamber of Commerce officials
expected some lodging space to be
available early today for tonight.
Rain which began late yesterday
failed to dampen the spirits of fes-
tival officials and townspeople.
The rain did not damage the or
chards or festival decorations.
officials said.
Buglers from Massanutten Aea-
DENY were to sound the call an
nouncing the arrival of the queen at
the coronation scene, the Handley
School Bowl.
The pageant to follow the coro-
nation, entitled "Forerunners-a
Pageant of Springtime," !" is a product
of weeks of preparation by 1900
students and teachers at the Hand
ley School. 1t was written by Gar
land r. Quarles, superintendent of
Winchester schools.
Depicts Early Days.
Opened by mass chorus of 200
In formation on the front steps of
the school singing the hymn "A
Mighty Fortress" the pageant car
ries out its "Forerunnersh theme by
depicting the signals of spring and
the peoples of early American days.
Dancers in pastel costumes are to
represent the Towering of spring
and the festival of the flowers. to
the accompaniment of choral aroups
and the school band. They are to
ne followed by dancing Indians.
colonists, pioneers, soldiers of the
Revolution and those of the Civil
War.
Tonight the traditional firemen's
parade. will be held through the
streets, in procession of bands.
marching units, firef1ghting equip
ment, mummers and other parade
attractions. A night display of fire.
works will follow on the Handley
School grounds.
Tomorrow's program is to include
a repeat performance of the pageant
at 10 am. and the grand feature
parade at 2 pm.
The parade will be the largest in
the history of the festival, with
more than 80 floats. 80 bands, 10
drum and bugle corps, 10 marching
units and % other units. Gen.
Jacob L. Devers, commander of the
Army ground forces, Is to be grand
marshal of the parade.
Among the more unusual groups
IN the line Of march will be Is drum
majorettes from Fairfax High
School.
Air Show on Program.
Among the air shows to be pro-
vided by three military services LIS
one by Marine Corps planes from
Quantico, which will fly in forma-
ton at 2 pm. tomorrow. The Naval
Air Reserve Training Unit from
Anacostia will follow with special
displays and the Army Air Corps
from Boiling Field will present the
last display at $3.50 pm, featuring
P-80 Jet planes.
Other activities during both DAYS
include band concerts, exhibits and
parties. At 10 o'clock, Dean Hud-
sons orchestra will provide music
for the princesses' reception and
dance, and Jan Garber's orchestra
will play for the queens ball at
the same hour tomorrow. Both
dances will be held at the armory.
Approximately 500 Winchester
residents watched dress rehearsal
OF the pageant yesterday. Among
the spectators was Stewart Bell, ST..
president of the Handley School
Board. who broke the first ground
for the school building in 1928.