Wenatchee: The BIG (Biggest) Week-end

Today through Sunday comprises the BIGGEST week-end of the year in Wenatchee, Washington. It is the final week-end of the Annual Washington State Apple Blossom Festival. There are lots of events going on, the grandest of them all being the Grand Parade starting tomorrow morning at 11:00 a/m at the Apple Bowl.

If you are new to town (and don't know how popular this event is), let me warn you to bring your chairs at LEAST 2 hours before the parade starts! Be prepared to park a ways from the parade route.

The parade is LONG, with 120 entries this year. Some of these are not single entries but a group, like the Classical Glass Corvette Club, the Wenatchee Valley Antique Auto Club, and the Wenatchee Valley Street Rods.

The Grand Marshals this year are two (locally grown) world class athletes... Laura Valaas is a member of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and Tyler Farrar is a cyclist on the Slipstream/Chipotle Pro Team. In 1994, as 4th graders at John Newbery Elementary School, Valaas and Farrar were on the same Junior Ridge to River Relay Team. Anyway, plan on 3 hours or more for the parade.

If you want to get a sneak peak at all the floats, go to the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at Triangle park. After breakfast you can wander around the park and check out all the cool floats while they are getting set-up and being judged.


Here is a complete line-up of activities for the week-end (as taken from today's online edition of the Wenatchee World newspaper):

Today's events:

Arts & Crafts Fair: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Park

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Memorial Park

Carnival: 5 p.m., Riverfront Park

Michael Carlos Band: 6 p.m., Memorial Park

Classy Chassis Parade: 6:30 p.m., Eastmont County Park

"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee

Fathappy: 8 p.m., Memorial Park

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 8 to 11 p.m., Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Saturday's events

Downtown Kiwanis 47th Annual Pancake Breakfast: 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., Triangle Park

Apple Blossom Run: 8 a.m. registration, 9:50 a.m. start time, Triangle Park

Apple Blossom Book Sale: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Library

Apple Blossom 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Walla Walla Point Park

Radio Control Airplane Fly-In: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Apple Flyers R/C, East Wenatchee

Classy Chassis Car Show: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastmont County Park

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Stemilt Growers Grand Parade: 11 a.m., Triangle Park

Ride the Miniature Train: 1 to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Riverfront Park

Slack Daddy: 1:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Cabin Fever: 3:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Standing Room Only: 5:30 p.m., Memorial Park

"Jesus Christ Superstar": 7:30 p.m., Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee

Miles From Chicago: 7:30 p.m., Memorial Park

Sunday's events

Apple Blossom 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Walla Walla Point Park

Radio Control Airplane Fly-In: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Apple Flyers R/C, East Wenatchee

Appleland Promenaders Square Dance: 10 a.m. to noon, Vale Elementary School, Cashmere

Arts & Crafts Fair: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Park

Food Fair: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Park

Carnival: Noon, Riverfront Park

Miles From Chicago: Noon, Memorial Park

Ride the Miniature Train: 1 to 5 p.m., Wenatchee Riverfront Park

Costco Apple Pie Eating Contest: 2 p.m., Memorial Park

Stemilt Growers Ultimate Apple Pie Bake-Off: 2 p.m., Memorial Park

Closing Festivities: 3:30 p.m., Memorial Park


HAVE FUN !!!