Savour Apple Blossom!

If you’ve ever had the notion to hightail it out of town during the annual Apple Blossom Festival because you can’t handle the crowds, take my advice. Turn the car around.

This year’s Festival is huge, kids, and if there was ever one to make sure you attended, this would be it.

The Festival celebrates its 75th anniversary this weekend and you don’t want to miss a minute. It’s bigger than ever, with events all over the Valley to mark this historic milestone in its evolution.

New concepts like Applelicious, Festival Market, Blossom Idol, the Diamond Treasure Hunt in this year’s Official Souvenir Edition published by Transcontinental Media, the Festival Showcase Series, Apple Blossom Top 10 Memories, Canadian Strongman Competition, Tent of Art sponsored by Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, Pub Night with Union Street Café, Under-19 Arm Wrestling Competition and Apple Blossom Festival Past Queens Meet and Greet to name just a few are reason enough to get folks excited.

And that’s just the new stuff! I haven’t included the Festival’s marquee events like the Children’s Parade, Grand Street Parade, fireworks, Coronation ceremony, Queen’s Scholarship Ball, Woodville Community Chicken Barbecue, Family Fun Day at Scotian Gold in Coldbrook or the 12th Annual Apple Blossom Duck Race sponsored by the Wolfville Rotary Club.

Opening Ceremonies go Thursday at the fire hall in Kentville starting at 7:30 p.m. and the Valley Princess Tea will be held from 2-4 p.m. June 1 in the Village of Kingston, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer. For a complete list of Festival events, visit www.appleblossom.com.

I can’t tell you how many times in the past I’ve heard people say that the Festival is for those who come from away, people who don’t live here and thrill to the spectacle of it.

Well, I’ve got news, folks. I spent a lot of time this winter working on a recently published book – Small Communities, Big Dreams: a pictorial history of 75 years of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival – and I can tell you that from day one, the Festival was positioned not only to attract tourists to the region, but to ensure the region’s economic viability for generations to come.

Seventy-five years later, it’s as relevant and vibrant as ever, thanks to the efforts of its volunteer board, President Sally Swanburg Wallace, Vice President Cathy Briggs and a group of other volunteers too extensive to name here.

They understand the importance of the Festival: how it profiles and applauds the efforts of farmers in the region and encourages not only the rest of the province, but the nation and places elsewhere in the world to acknowledge their value.

Few events in North America can boast a 75-year track record of success, and we have it our own backyard! If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is.

Your participation at any level over the next week will help to make history. Sit tight, get tickets, get involved. This year’s Festival will be unlike any other and you’ll be the only one to blame if you miss out on the fun.

So I dare you; grab a piece of history. You won’t regret it.