Stemilt Grand Parade draws thousands with more than 100 entrants from around the state

WENATCHEE — Apple Blossom 2025 comes nearly to a close with this year’s Stemilt Grand Parade, the final giant spectacle of the festival. More than one hundred participants marched, rode, cantered and danced their way from Triangle Park, down Orondo Avenue, north on Wenatchee Avenue and on to 7th Street.

The streets were packed with lawn chairs set up since last week’s Youth Parade, some with spectators who had been in them since 7 a.m., waiting for the fun to begin.

Behind the traditional police escort that kicks off the parade every year, the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department had their Chief for the Day winner from the first weekend of Apple Blossom, Tilly Love, riding along in the ladder truck — the one thing she told them she wanted to do as Chief.

The Wenatchee High School Golden Apple Marching Band got the parade music started, their drill team leading the way, followed immediately by your 2025 Apple Blossom Royalty, fresh off a parade last night across the river. Queen Ella wore her signature smile and Princesses Daeja and Yasmin looked stunning in their Pink Lady-colored gowns.

With the Eastmont High School Wildcat Band and drill team following closely, the 106th annual parade felt like it had officially begun. This year’s Grand Marshals, the YMCA, had representatives riding the back of a custom Jeepster Commando, smiling and waving before the first equestrians made their way down Orondo, which of course marked the countdown for which horse would make someone $10,000 richer with this year’s Road Apple Roulette Raffle put on by the Rotary Club of Wenatchee Sunrise.

Smokejumpers and wildland firefighters from the US Forest Service made an appearance, as well as some rodeo queens, more marching bands, pets and even a float from the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival, which is held the last weekend in September in Leavenworth.

Throughout the parade, festivalgoers clapped and cheered for their favorites, thanking first responders and veterans for their service and calling out the names of parade participants they recognized. It was shoulder to shoulder for about a mile and a half through Wenatchee on Saturday as people who had seen the parade for decades and those for whom it was their first time smiled, laughed and waved as floats and marchers passed by.

This year’s parade was truly emblematic of the theme of Apple Blossom 2025: The Best Time Ever. Wenatchee wouldn’t be the same without our Festival Staff and Board of Directors and all of the generous sponsors who help make this parade the largest in North Central Washington. But the parade would be nothing without the people of Wenatchee Valley cheering it on.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media