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We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time. For any issues, contact [email protected] or call 219-874-7211.Each community sends 2 gentlemen to compete for the title of Mr. Blossomtime. They are judged on poise, interviewing skills, community service, & communications as well as stage presence & personality.

This premiere event draws 250,000 spectators & travels 2 ½ miles through St. Joseph across the bridge into Benton Harbor. The Parade averages 125 units of floral & animated floats, bands, comic characters, antique cars, clowns, equestrian groups, & drill teams.

Our volunteers serve in many different roles such as pageant committees, production crew, chaperone duties, Central Queens, parades, and at traditional Blossomtime events.

The Blossomtime Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to the educational development of young people and the dissemination of information for the purpose of educating the general public as to the value and contribution of agriculture to Southwest Michigan. The Blossomtime Festival, established in 1906, is Michigan’s oldest and largest multi-community Festival. We hope you get to join with us in celebrating our beautiful Southwestern Michigan. Spanning two days & evenings, 20+ community queens vie for the title of Miss Blossomtime & each community also sends 2 gentlemen to compete for Mr. Blossomtime. They are judged on poise, interviewing skills, community service, & communications as well as stage presence & personality.

Crowned Miss Congeniality was 19-year-old Miss Berrien Springs Linda Klein. She is the daughter of Amy and Glen Klein. She currently attends Lake Michigan College and plans to attend a four-year university to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing to become a labor and delivery nurse.During a “getting to know you” segment, Lauren revealed that her diagnosis with Lupus prompted her to launch a social media platform to “raise awareness” of it as well as to “stay positive and organize community events.”

Miss South Haven, Kate Sprout. The Good Luck Ad winner was Miss Hartford, Raven Ledesma. The Bob Braamse Community Service Scholarship was awarded to Miss Spirit, Lauren Vegter

“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was 5 years old,” she said during the “Blossomtime Salutes Our Roots” – themed pageant Monday, April 17, at the Mendel Center Mainstage at Lake Michigan College.Joining Karl is first runnerup, Juswin Judge. Juswin is a 17-year-old junior at St. Joseph High School and is the son of Harpreet and Sutinderpal Judge. He plans to attend a four-year university to major in aerospace engineering. Nolan Crandall, an 18-year-old senior at Bangor High School, was crowned second runner up. He is the son of Barbara Ferguson and Thomas Crandall and plans to attend Eastern Michigan University to pursue a degree in electrical and computer engineering.Second runner-up is Miss St. Joseph Olivia Ippel, the 17-year-old daughter of Abby and Ted Ippel and a senior at St. Joseph High School. After graduation, she plans to attend Grand Valley State University or Michigan State to run and study elementary education to become a kindergarten teacher.

The Showcase of Queens award winners for Photogenic were awarded to Miss Bridgman, Javen Graves; Miss South Haven, Kate Sprout; and Miss Stevensville, Nadia Arend. Commercial awards went to Miss Edwardsburg, Elizabeth Pederson; Miss Spirit, Lauren Vegter; and Miss South Haven, Kate Sprout. Communication awards went to Miss Bangor, Abigail Russell; Miss Hartford, Raven Ledesma; and Miss Spirit, Lauren Vegter. The princess program scholarship winners were Miss Benton Harbor, Madison Collins and Miss Edwardsburg, Elizabeth Pederson. The Community Queen’s Legacy Scholarship was awarded to Miss Eau Claire/ Sodus, Emilee Demski. The Southwest Blossomtime Sorority Scholarship was awarded toApparently, Monday night was the night for dreams to come true: After competing against 20 other hopeful community queens for the more than two-hour pageant, Vegter, the 2023 Miss Spirit of Blossomtime, was crowned the 90th Miss Blossomtime by Miss Blossomtime 2022 Lillian Waggoner.

Judges for the Mr. Blossomtime pageant were Andrew Skipper, Lisa Walters and Shane Blair. Judges for the Showcase of Queens pageant were Barbara Campbell, Corbin Wagner and Roxie Elliott.A 17-year-old senior at Lakeshore High School, Lauren is the daughter of Melissa and Charlie Vegter. She plans to attend either the University of Arizona or Oklahoma City University to double major in dance and business, then dance professionally, and later open her own dance studio in Southwest Michigan.

Apple blossoms typically bloom anywhere from early spring to late summer. The earlier apple varieties like McIntosh, Gala, Honeycrisp and Fuji would be the first ones you see, and the later varieties like Macoun, Mutsu and Pink Lady will blossom later on in the summer. The center blossom, also called the king blossom, opens first and may grow a larger apple than the other blossoms.

In order for these blossoms to become fruit, they need to cross-pollinate. Some varieties can self-pollinate but when cross-pollinated with other trees and varieties, it’s been shown to produce better fruit. We here at Bishop’s Orchards bring in our own bees to help with the pollination process. Once complete, the blossom falls off and over time, grows into fruit.Now that you know all this information about apple blossoms, you probably want to go see some. So, if you’re looking for a scenic drive, come by our farm market in the beginning to mid-May every year in Guilford, CT. They can be seen right from the road and the parking lot at our store!

One of our favorite parts about spring on the farm here at Bishop’s Orchards are the apple blossoms! If you live local, you probably saw them as you drove on Long Hill Road behind our farm market. They’re those pretty pink and white flowers on the trees right along the hillside. They are always a true sight to see and make springtime that much more enjoyable. But what some people might not know is there’s much more to them than their beauty. They serve an important purpose that impacts fruit production on the tree. So, let’s go through everything you need to know about the lifecycle of an apple blossom:Each year Japan Day brings Japanese culture, art, tradition and food to Central Park. This event connects New Yorkers and NYC visitors with the local Japanese community. In 2023, Japan Day will return with its second-ever Japan Parade in New York City on Saturday, May 13th.

There will also be a Japan Street Fair on 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Ave where you can indulge in delicious traditional Japanese foods, browse art, learn about history, and shop for treasures.The Japan Parade will celebrate Japanese culture, art, and tradition as it goes down Central Park West from 81st Street to 67th Street. Expect performances by drum ensemble Soh Daiko; the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY, karate demonstrations, sword fighting demonstrations, and so much more!

NB: To vote for the People’s Choice award on the day, please text “BLOSSOM [and the number of the entry]” to 4487 at the time – so for example; text “BLOSSOM 29” to 4487 to vote for entry number 29, or “BLOSSOM 3” to 4487 to vote for entry number 3, etc. (Texts cost .20c to send – a small price to pay to make sure your favorite is in to win!Before you go, would you like to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter with events happening in your area, competitions for free tickets and CD giveaways?It is our privilege to have the opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate the arrival of Spring and renew a sense of pride in our region. We feel that this is really important for everyone, as we missed the Parade dearly in 2021 – but look forward to creating a magical day and bringing smiles to the faces of both children and adults alike in 2022!Admiring and celebrating cherry blossoms are a national pastime in Japan, with forecasts for their blooming in Tokyo and other cities on the main island of Honshu coming out as early as January. There will be fervent discussions about where to see the blossoms, from popular spots to secret sites. Friends, classmates and colleagues alike will organize viewing parties to appreciate the blossoms and have a relaxing time to welcome in spring.

Be warned! This is just a forecast. And like any other forecast, this is not 100% accurate. There were times when cherry blossoms got confused and prematurely bloomed in autumn. So do your research and manage your expectations when creating an itinerary.

As a final note, if you wish to make the best out of your spring vacation in Japan, plan your trip well. Watch out for the cherry blossom 2023 forecast every now and then to get a good read on their budding and blooming activities.