Evening star., 1952-05-01
Blossom Festival
Begins Today:
Al Winchester
| Queens Coronation
Opens Celebration
Under Sunny Skies
By Mary Lou Werner
Stor Staff Correspondent

SV0
Stor steff Correspondent
WINCHESTER. Va. May H.
Miss Nina (Honey Bear) Warren
ascends the throne Of Queen
Shenandoah XIV today amid all
the color and splendor that the
Valley Of Virginia can offer for
its annual Apple Blossom Fes-
tival.
The blond youngest daughter Of
California's Governor steps into
her royal role with the assistance
of Elder Statesman Bernard Ba-
ruch. He was to place the crown
on her head at ceremonies at 2:30
pm. at Handley Bowl.
Slated to be looking on were
her mother and throngS of visi-
tors who had come to attend the
colorful. annual celebration-in-
cluding the queens "a attending
princesses and her escort, Air
Force Capt. Ralph Gibson. jet
pilot war ace.
Nature provided a fine setting
for the opening of the two-day
festival. The weather was warm
and sunny. Apple orchards sur
rounding the city were in full
bloom.
With a shyness befitting her
18 years, Miss Warren had her
first sample OF queens life yes
terday.
Photogenic Queen.
One of her first duties was an
before newspaper and
newsreel photographers. They
couldn't have asked for better
model.
Her golden hair curled upward
in the new poodle fashion. A gen.
uine California tan and girlish
freckles emphasized an even row
of sparkling. teeth. A deep dimple
punctuated each cheek as she
smiled again and again at the
photographers requests.
Miss Warren's father stayed
home in California to continue
his campaign for the COP presi-
Dental nomination. Miss Warren
shook her head from side to side
when asked if she might CAM
paign for him.
Pageant Highlights History.
The traditional pageant that
Miss Warren was to witness today
after her coronation is called
Harvest of the Years" In verse.
dance and song. it tells the history
of Winchester. This years festi-
val commentaries Winchester's
bicentennial year.
More than 1000 school children
take part in the pageant, which
is the original work of their SUI
perintendent, Garland r. Quarles.
About $500 spectators watched
the pageant's dress rehearsal yes
terday.
In the opening scene are GUS
tomary dances heralding the
blooming of the apple trees.
Then the pageant turns to its
historic scene. Major events Of
Winchester's 200 years pass in
review.
Indian dancers recall the days
before Winchester became the first
permanent American settlement
west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
AS the Indians moved westward,
the first settlers appear on the
scene in their Conestoga wagons
the men wearing buckskin jackets
and the women in bonnets and
ShawlS.
Chartered in 1892.
May dancers whoop it up as
news reaches Winchester that the
House of Burgesses granted the
community town charter in 1852.
George Washington appears in
the pageant as militia colonel
during scenes from the French and
Indian War.
The pageant's most spectacular
portrayal shows one of the many
Winchester battles during the
Civil War. Winchester changed
hands more than 70 times during
the North South conflict, accord
ing to local historians. The pag-
cant doesn't show either side win
ming.
Skimmers, blazers, bustles and
ostrich plumes color a scene from
Winchester's Gay Nineties era. In
the grand finale more than 500
red, white and blue costumed
students line up on the Handley
High School steps to form a giant
American flag.
The pageant will be repeated at
10 am. tomorrow, when the fes-
tival crowd is expected to reach
nearly 100000. Howard Keel, stage
and screen singing star, arrives
here tomorrow to be grand mar
ISho1 Of tho feature v1oroda