HISTORY

Military band and troops march in the 1949 Lilac Festival Parade, in
recognitiion of the recent conclusiion of World War II. (Courtesy of the
Spokesman Review).
A Brief History The Spokane Lilac Festival has been a “Lilac City” tradition since 1938. It was an effort originated by the Associated Garden Clubs and the Spokane Floral Society to boast our beautiful spring lilacs, and to showcase our area youth. They organized a parade and royalty program to honor young women from the Spokane area. Over the past sixty plus years, the Lilac Festival has taken on many activities and it has undergone several changes. However, if has always remained true to one of its original objectives -promoting our greatest resource, today’s youth. The Spokane Lilac Festival has volunteer Directors and Lilac Royalty Court members who travel weekends from April through October representing the Lilac City of Spokane in other Pacific and Inland Northwest communities. We visit no less than 20 cities/communities with our float and royal court each festival season, traveling in excess of 8,000 miles. The Spokane Lilac Festival Celebration has an estimated economic impact of $1.6 million annually upon the greater Spokane area. The Spokane Lilac Festival Celebration could not and would not exist without corporate and community support and contributions. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The Spokane Lilac Festival has grown into an annual week-long Lilac Festival of celebrating spring, youth, and community spirit. The Festival is the Inland Northwest region’s oldest and largest community event, providing involvement opportunities for every segment of the community. To name a few:
• Annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade showcasing school bands and marching units, youth of all ages (both individually and in groups), clowns, dancers, gymnastic displays, and of course the military units from the Inland Northwest
• Annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade showcasing school bands and marching units, youth of all ages (both individually and in groups), clowns, dancers, gymnastic displays, and of course the military units from the Inland Northwest
• Regional and international goodwill promoted through hosting neighboring communities and sister city_ delegations attending Lilac Festival events• Parades and Lilac Royalty Program promote ethnic understanding by providing a forum for expression of heritage, cultural views and values
• Lilac Royalty Program and out-of-town Royalty Program offers professional development and growth of area youth as well as scholarships for the Lilac Royalty
• Hospitals, nursing homes, and schools are visited by Lilac Festival Directors and the Royalty Court
• Businesses are solicited to provide complimentary in-kind goods and services and financial support for enjoyment by the entire community and its visitors .
Past Presidents, Queens,
& Themes
Year – President | Queen | High School | Theme |
---|---|---|---|
1941 – | Queen Anne Hite | – | – |
1942 – | Queen Bobbie Judd | – | – |
1946 – President Edward H. Hughes | No Queen selected | – | – |
1947 – President Edward H. Hughes | No Queen selected | – | – |
1948 – President O.F. Allen | No Queen selected | – | – |
1949 – President John Armenia | Queen Donagene Herr | – | – |
1950 – President Harvey Guertin | Queen Barbara Crosby | – | – |
1951 – President Robert Peters | Queen Donna Bagdon | – | – |
1952 – President Dr. John Plastino | Queen Carol Haas | – | – |
1953 – President Lloyd Anderson | Queen Gail Jackson | – | – |
1954 – President Ward Walker | Queen Rosemarie Thomsen | – | – |
1955 – President Len Spooner | Queen Joanne Henry | – | – |
1956 – President Nave Lain | Queen Shari Lynn Fain | – | – |
1957 – President Ed Johnson | Queen Kay Levesque | – | |
1958 – President Joe Kipper | Queen Denise Bogle | Marycliff | – |
1959 – President Ralph Phelps | Queen Donna Goodell | Mead | – |
1960 – President Russell Walker | Queen Nancy Keeler | Central Valley | – |
1961 – President Hal Bacon | Queen Sara Ann Jullion | Marycliff | – |
1962 – President W.E. Difford Jr. | Queen Louise Henry | Lewis & Clark | – |
1963 – President S. Luther Essick | Queen Sheila Bayley | North Central | – |
1964 – President Al Schilling | Queen Molly McLellan | Lewis & Clark | – |
1965 – President Rene Siebert | Queen Kathy Swanson | Lewis & Clark | – |
1966 – President Stan Ross | Queen Kathy Forster | Marycliff | – |
1967 – President Al Turill | Queen Diane Hausken | East Valley | – |
1968 – President Don Dagman | Queen Sandy Peterson | North Central | – |
1969 – President Patrick Kenney | Queen Judy Swanson | Mead | – |
1970 – President Lee Milot | Queen Jeanine Hardin | Shadle Park | – |
1971 – President Neil Dompier | Queen Lois Miller | University | – |
1972 – President Curtis Bloomquist | Queen Lisa Smith | Ferris | – |
1973 – President Thomas C. Garrett | Queen Vicki Kay Hayter | Shadle Park | – |
1974 – President Alfred E. Pierce | Queen Kelly Owens | West Valley | – |
1975 – President Charles J. Bloom | Queen Lisa Shields | Ferris | – |
1976 – President George A. White | Queen Mary Lebsock | Rogers | – |
1977 – President Ralph C. Husom | Queen Karen Stratton | Marycliff | – |
1978 – President L.M. Nickerson | Queen Tamara Sweeney | Gonzaga Prep | – |
1979 – President Paul Redmond | Queen Earla Schafer | North Central | – |
1980 – President Gordon Wilcox | Queen Candace Chapple | West Valley | – |
1981 – President Marvin Rubens | Queen Diane Polenske | West Valley | – |
1982 – President Donald H. Head | Queen Shelley Gilchrist | Lewis & Clark | – |
1983 – President Ronald A. Hardin | Queen Kris Unicume | Central Valley | Spread Your Wings |
1984 – President Jack Riggins | Queen Kelly Eddy | Ferris | Salute to Canada |
1985 – President Ken Torkelson | Queen Amy Schimmels | Ferris | Salute to Youth |
1986 – President Jerry N. Fletcher | Queen Monika Plamlund | Lewis & Clark | Tribute to Women |
1987 – President Guy Perham | Queen Kristina Kripaitis | Shadle Park | Let’s Grow Together |
1988 – President Guy Sligar | Queen Darci Banta | West Valley | When Lilacs Drest |
1989 – President Marilyn Thordarson | Queen Andrea Vickerman | Ferris | Turn Back Time |
1990 – President Earl D. Edwards | Queen Heather Curtis | Rogers | Flight Technology |
1991 – President Bob Jones | Queen Amy Cartledge | North Central | Stars and Stripes Forever |
1992 – President Craig Stolle | Queen Tiffany Brickner | Gonzaga Prep | For the Fun of It |
1993 – President Don Krause | Queen Jessica Lotze | Ferris | For the Kid in Us |
1994 – President Roberta Greene | Queen Anelise Kirschbaum | University | Flight of Fantasy |
1995 – President Dick Totten | Queen Carrie Keyes | Shadle Park | Lilac Country |
1996 – President Jack Aronson | Queen Abigail Palmer | West Valley | Lilac Luau |
1997 – President Bob Tallan | Queen Brianne Adams | University | Rock Around the Clock |
1998 – President John Cocks | Queen Leslie Ogden | Ferris | Wonders Down Under |
1999 – President Bill Phipps | Queen Casey Carlson | Ferris | Honor the Past |
2000 – President Denny Nichols | Queen Jillian Cerna | Central Valley | Imagine the Future |
2001 – President Denny Kane | Queen Natalya Litoshyk | East Valley | Soaring with Spokane |
2002 – President Sandi Bentz | Queen Emily Leva | Ferris | Spirit of Spokane |
2003 – President Michael Noyes | Queen Joanna Repsold | Ferris | Moments Remembered |
2004 – President Denise Vickerman | Queen Jenna Johnson | Oaks Christian Academy | Celebrate Spokane |
2005 – President Catherine Tunstall | Queen Jamie Pacello | Shadle Park | Lilac Magic |
2006 – President Russ Brown | Queen Zanie McMillian | North Central | Kids are the Key |
2007 – President Sandy Brown | Queen Wylie Patton | Freeman | Here’s to the Heroes |
2008 – President Cecelia Stephens | Queen Sarah Crowley | Lewis & Clark | Salute to Service |
2009 – President Michael Waldrip | Queen Chloe Crittenden | Northwest Christian | I Love a Parade |
2010 – President Arne Weinman | Queen Hayley Hill | Northwest Christian | Freedom is Not Free |
2011 – President Myron Bursell | Queen MacKenzie Johnson | Mead | Ignite the Spirit of America |
2012 – President Hal Patton | Queen Sydnee Scofield | Central Valley | Dream & Reach for the Stars |
2013 – President Christine Leva | Queen Brett Rountree | Central Valley | Lilac Legacy Alive at 75 |
2014 – Co-Presidents Joan Petow & Cecelia Stephens | Queen Kaylee Pearson | Ferris | Double the Lilacs, Double the Fun |
2015 – President Mike Cressey | Queen Meghan Long | Ferris | A Festival to Remember |
2016 – President Richard Logerwell | Queen Megan Paternoster | Freeman | Lilacs in Wonderland |
2017 – Co-Presidents Karen Montague & Cindy Zapotocky | Queen August Corppetts | Gonzaga Prep | Celebrating Our Heroes |
2018 – President Nancy Cole | Queen Halle Nelson | North Central | Swing Into Spokane |
2019 – President Kristy Hamby | Queen Madison O’Calaghan | Cheney | We Are Spokane |
2020 – President Dan VerHeul | No Queen Selected | – | *Destination Spokane (Canceled) |
2021 – President Dan VerHeul | Destination Spokane |
CONTACT US
509.535.4554
3021 S. REGAL STE:105, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON 99223
Office Hours: M-F 10am-2pm (Summer Hours Vary)