Apple Blossom film shows why our valley is a great place to live
It’s hard to put into words how much the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival means to the people of the Wenatchee Valley. Fortunately, our friends at North 40 Productions have captured the essence, the spirit and the energy of this remarkable celebration with their just-released documentary: A Lot of Fuss about a Parade.
In 90 minutes, the film pulls back the curtain on the selection process, the festival and the hundreds of volunteers that bring this event to life year after year. It gives us an extraordinary view of what community is all about — sacrificing time and resources to put on an event that is one of the best festivals anywhere. It gives you an opportunity to see countless community contributors pulling together to make the festival successful, from coaching the royalty to setting up Memorial Park for the event.
In 2018, more than 500 volunteers put in 10,000 hours of time making the festival a success. Getting to see the inner workings is a special treat. Jeff Ostenson of North 40 told me this is the very best work that his team has ever done, and I agree.
What I love about the film is the flash backs to the previous festivals, director generals and royalty mixed with a deep dive into the 2018 festival concluding with the selection of the royalty this February.
There are some great scenes while the credits roll that feature shenanigans during the days of cruising Wenatchee Avenue from the 1980s.
There are opportunities to view this film at the Liberty Theater on Sunday, April 28, Wednesday, May 1, and Sunday, May 5th. All of the showings will be at 6 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at ncwmovies.com.
