Kicks off with Queen’s Coronation this Friday

“This community float is amazing, they did a really good job portraying this year’s theme of Candyland Enchantment,” Shelly Roberts, President, May Festival Committee

OROVILLE – Queen Narya Naillon and Princesses Zoe Whittaker-Jameson and Lena Fuchs are extending a royal invitation to attend this year’s 82nd Oroville May Festival with events on Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14.

The festivities start off with the crowning of the royalty on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Coulton Auditorium. Queen Narya, is the daughter of Ed and Marcia Naillon, Princess Zoe, the daughter of Paul Whittaker and Denise Jameson and Princess Lena is the daughter of Robert and Steffi Fuchs.

The coronation promises all the pageantry the community has come to expect with the crowning of their May royalty, including the handoff of the crown from last year’s queen and princesses, Ellamae Burnell, Mikayla Scott and Faith Martin.

Following the coronation there will be the traditional lighted mini-parade down Main Street with the queen and princesses riding the community float and royalty from the high school in their convertibles.

“The community float is amazing, they did a really good job portraying this year’s theme of Candy Land,” said Shelly Roberts, president of the May Festival Committee.

“The parents and the girls and Joyce and Dane Forester have done a great job on the float, it’s beautiful. They have our thanks for all their hard work,” said Roberts, adding, “It even has rotating cotton candy, with different cotton candy for day and night parades. People can get a preview during the parade after coronation this Friday.”

Saturday’s events start early with the “blast off” from the shores of Deep Bay for the bass tournament at 6 a.m. Meanwhile the American Legion will be serving up a pancake breakfast at the Legion Hall beginning at 7 a.m. That gives those who are in the fun run or the 3 on 3 basketball tournament a chance to carbo load before those events start at 8 a.m. The Oroville Farmer’s Market will be taking place at the public library from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The crowning feature of each year’s May Festival, the Grand Parade, starts at 10 a.m., with floats from the Oroville Community and its neighbors, and from civic organizations and commercial businesses. Led by this year’s Grand Marshals, Judy DeVon, Joyce Forthun, Jo Mathews and Esther Sorensen, there will be plenty of classic cars, mounted riders, kids on bikes, marching bands, Shriners, fire trucks, clubs and church groups and much more to keep everyone entertained. The Oroville Fire Department is sure to break out the old Model T firetruck to cause mayhem along the route, and members of the local U.S. Border Patrol usually make a good showing on horseback and riding a variety of the vehicles they use to guard the border.

After the parade the traditional lawn ceremony takes place on the front lawn of the high school where local and visiting royalty are introduced and the May Pole Dancers give a command performance.

The chamber of commerce puts on a barbecue at the east lawn of the high school starting at 11 p.m., an annual fundraiser to give two scholarships to deserving high school seniors.

At noon the Aurora Mason Lodge will be hosting kid’s game at Ben Prince Field behind the high school and new for this year, Nathan Thompson, will hold a “Mayday Bash for Kids” at 1 p.m. with his cardio kickboxing.

“I think it’s neat that the historical society will be having three local authors signing their books at the Depot Museum,” said Roberts.

Signing books on the veranda of the depot will be Clayton and Joyce “Boots” Emry, Darlene Kidwell Owen and Tedi Fletcher. While there don’t forget to check out this year’s displays featuring the Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District and 100 years of Zosel Lumber Company, recommends Roberts. There will be homemade ice cream available as well. The Okanogan Wildlife League (OWL) will have demonstrations on the high school lawn from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and the Okanogan International Chorus will perform a free concert at the Free Methodist Church starting at 2 p.m.

Three of the area’s wineries – Okanogan Estates and Vineyards, Copper Mountain and Esther Bricques Wineries plan wine tastings at their establishments as well. See our schedule of events on Page A3 for locations and times, for the wine tastings and all the other events.