WENATCHEE, Wash. – With his thumb held high, Kyle Mathison and the rest of the Stemilt founding family celebrated the beginnings of a new apple crop in the Washington State Apple Blossom Parade. On Saturday May 6, the Mathison family participated in the annual Stemilt Grand Parade riding in a 1926 Ford Model-T and the Stemilt Volkswagen Ladybug. Leading the family in this beloved spring event was matriarch Lorraine Mathison in the ladybug. She celebrated her 95th birthday last year.
Stemilt president West Mathison shared that this is the 20th year Stemilt has sponsored the festival’s main event. “We look forward to the Apple Blossom festival every year, and it’s an honor to sponsor the grand parade,” said Mathison. “We get to celebrate the bloom season in a fun way that involves the Wenatchee Valley community and puts tree fruit into the spotlight.”
The 2023 festival marked the 104th year of the Apple Blossom parade, and featured trumpeting bands in the Northwest, creative floats, and horseback performances to put on one of Washington’s grandest parades.
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com.
