The bloom is definately in my blood.  I have had such wonderful opportunities to ride through the parade. In fact,  I think my entire family has taken the 3.2 mile trek down the parade route at some point in their life.  I remember I was so jealous of my older sister when she rode a rainbow float when she was 13. I remember it vividly as it was blue with a BIG rainbow stretching from end to end. Each side of the float was lined with children and in the middle of the float bright blue streamers hanging down from the middle of the rainbow that looked like water droplets falling from this magnificent view. Oooooooooooo-weeeeeee it was beautiful. Unfortunately, I had to watch her pass by when I was on the sidelines. She was then a member of the prestigious John Handley High School Marching Band, so my sister got her share of being in the Apple Blossom Festival Grand Feature Parade. Below is a photo of my mother. I think she is riding on the Winchester Moose Lodge float. This had to be in the 70's......that is the only way one could get away with the hair style. I don't think she was too thrilled to be riding through the parade....but look how elaborate that float is!

Not only did I spend time growing up with great memories of the parade, Apple Blossom has so many other activities to offer....like the circus! With no exception of Apple Blossom Saturday, every Saturday morning through my childhood was a weekend soccer game for Blue Ridge Soccer Association. My dad came to watch EVERY game (even through college!).....on one particular Saturday morning--it happened to be Apple Blossom Saturday-he woke me up early to go to the circus. Why you ask? To watch the elephants set up the circus tents for the big show! It was like 7:00 AM (very early for me) and it was one of the best memories I have of Apple Blossom. How many times can a person say they watched elephants pull and tug ropes to magically set up this massive tents. Oh, only in Winchester. Below is my parents at the circus....well before I was born, during Apple Blossom Weekend. Please disregard the cowboy hat--hahaha.

So many celebrities, so little time. My mother below looking super excited to meet this mystery man--(as she should be, he is a good looking man I must say--Lets bring him back to AB '08). I am sure he was a soap star considering my mom used to be obsessed with soap operas and both my sister and I are named after characters on them (Lauren -Young and the Restless, Deven - Bold and the Beautiful).  This also looks about sometime in the 80's (hence the enlarged hair) which would be about the period of soap star addiction.