WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee Valley celebrated 100 years of Apple Blossom festivities on Saturday May 4th with the festival’s main event: the Stemilt Growers Grand Parade. The family-owned tree fruit company celebrates with the community every year by sponsoring the oldest major festival in Washington State.
“The Apple Blossom Festival is the community’s way to come together each spring and celebrate the arrival of apple blossoms,” says Roger Pepperl, Stemilt’s marketing director. “The festival started with a one-day celebration back in 1919 and has transformed into a two-week celebration that includes a kid’s parade, a food fair, craft fairs, three-on-three basketball tournaments, bike criterium, and ends with the much anticipated and infamous Stemilt Growers Grand Parade.”
According to the official Apple Blossom website, the festival was named to accurately reflect the importance of the apple industry in North Central Washington and the state of Washington. Stemilt has been involved in the festival for decades and has been the sponsor of the parade since 2003. Stemilt’s founding family, the Mathison’s, participate in the Grand Parade every year.
“The Mathison’s enjoy supporting the community every year and always partake in the fun,” says Pepperl. “Tate drives a Stemilt-decorated Polaris, Kyle rode on a 1926 Ford Model-T sporting many of Stemilt’s branded products and West drove the classic Stemilt Volkswagen Ladybug with former Apple Blossom festival royalty. It’s a family event and fun way to celebrate the new crop beginning.”
Stemilt also sponsored the 100-year documentary, “A Lot of Fuss About A Parade” that captured the history of the festival and the Stemilt Grower’s Grand Parade. The documentary made its premiere to the community in late April.
“Apple Blossom is a pillar of our community that we are proud to support every year,” says Pepperl. “What a great way to celebrate the beginning of spring and bring a community together to celebrate the things that make our town one-of-a-kind.”
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About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the largest suppliers of organic tree fruits in the nation. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com and follow Stemilt on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and You Tube.