Cuteness abounds in Apple Festival winner’s circle

Apple Festival Baby Contest Newborn through 12 months boy winner Mason Vowell, with mom and dad Hannah and Trent Vowell.

Photo by Patti Danner

The 52nd Annual Bloomfield Apple Festival began Friday in Bloomfield.

A highlight of Friday evening’s festivities was the presentation of the 2021 Apple Festival Queen and court and the announcement of the People’s Choice Princess and People’s Choice Queen winners, as well as the winners of the Apple Festival Baby Contest, Miss Apple Dumpling (first and second grade), Miss Autumn Apple (third and fourth grade) and Apple Festival Junior Princess (fifth and sixth grade) contests.

People’s Choice winners were determined at the Apple Festival Queen pageant, where each dollar placed into a bucket with the contestant’s name attached counted as a vote for that contestant.

The winners are as follows:

• Apple Festival People’s Choice Queen: Vivian Brown (2021 Apple Festival Queen)

• Apple Festival People’s Choice Princess: Anneston Dunigan

• Apple Festival Baby Contest Newborn through 12 months girl: Juniper Parcels, daughter of Abby and Charles Parcels

• Apple Festival Baby Contest Newborn through 12 months boy: Mason Vowell, son of Hannah and Trent Vowell

• Apple Festival Baby Contest 13 months through 23 months girl: no girl contestants

• Apple Festival Baby Contest 13 months through 23 months boy: River Speer, son of Kelsie Speer

• Apple Festival Baby Contest two years through three years girl: Kambrie Hope Strosnider, daughter of Travis and Michelle Strosnider

• Apple Festival Baby Contest two years through three years boy: Rhett Maverick Hendrix, son of Kayla and Kortnie Hendrix

• Apple Festival Little Miss: Jaylah Myers, daughter of Gary and Brenda Myers

• Apple Festival Little Mister: John Bault, son of Erika and Curt Bault

• Apple Festival Miss Apple Dumpling First Runner-Up: Emma Marie Allor, daughter of Dustin and Autumn Allor

• Apple Festival Miss Apple Dumpling: Hadley Price, daughter of Anthony and Hannah Price

• Apple Festival Miss Junior Princess: A tie resulting in the crowning of two Co-Princesses, Jaycie Grace Margret Anderson, daughter of Shasta Anderson and Nate and Krista Marlin and Rylynne Mae Potts, daughter of Jeremy and Deanna Potts.

Spotted on-site was longtime Apple Festival Organizer Judy Branstetter, who was accompanied by her grandson, Dylan Richardson.

“It’s been a rough year,” Branstetter said with a half-smile. “But this is great, we’ve had a really good crowd today and the weather is perfect.”

Branstetter said she hopes to wish away the rain forecast for Saturday and looks forward to Sunday’s parade.

Event Organizer Kris Jarman, whose artistic son, Seamas, sold original artwork at the festival’s Chick-Fil-A booth, echoed Branstetter’s delight at the day’s turnout.

“We have been busy all morning,” she said of the Chick-Fil-A booth, “I hope we can skip the rain Saturday.”

Jarman said Sunday’s parade will be jam-packed, with over 80 confirmed entries, including a group of off-road Jeep enthusiasts with several drivers confirmed to appear.