On Saturday, February 25, following a week of interviews and presentations, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association announced members of the 2023 “Onward” Festival Royal Court.
The seven Royal Court members began their journey in late 2022, when area high schools in Spokane County were eligible to present a candidate from among the senior class. Throughout the fall and winter, candidates participated in an eight-week preparation course in character-building and servant-leadership with a strengthened focus on community service, integrity, and teamwork.
The members of the 2023 “Onward” Royal Court are:
Kate - West Valley High School
Aidyn - Gonzaga Preparatory School
Maddie - East Valley High School
Mercy - Shadle Park High School
Lori - Ferris High School
Kaitlyn - Lewis & Clark High School
Josephine - Medical Lake High School
Together, the 2023 Royal Court holds a 3.761 grade point average and participates in a wide variety of activities including cheerleading, dance, choir, orchestra, National Honor Society, ASB, and serving as teen representatives on various community boards.
On Saturday March 25, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA) will crown the 2023 “Onward” Festival Queen from among the members of the Royal Court at a coronation held at 4:30 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater, 909 W. First Avenue. Tickets are available for purchase through TicketsWest starting February 28, $15 or $5 for students 18 and under, service fees apply.
The Queen and Royal Court will represent the SLFA at the 85thAnnual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade in downtown Spokane on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 7:45 p.m. and will travel with the SLFA Float to many community festivals across the Pacific Northwest this summer.
The Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SLFA) is a 501c3 nonprofit community organization established in 1938 by the Associated Garden Club of Spokane. Following the end of World War Two, what had been a loosely organized group of enthusiasts gathered to officially form the Spokane Lilac Festival Association, launching in 1946 and continuing to this day. Each May the SLFA hosts communities from across the Pacific Northwest for the annual Lilac Festival culminating in the nation’s largest Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on Armed Forces Day. SLFA Directors and the Royal Court of seven high school seniors selected from among Spokane County’s 31 area high schools travel across the northwest each summer with the festival float, serving as ambassadors of Spokane to the region and beyond. To learn more about the SLFA visit www.spokanelilacfestival.org.