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’15 Valley of Flowers Festival Celebrates ‘Those Who Serve’
Seated L-R: Madison Scott, Meghan Mahaffy, Anne Merriman, Abby Diaber, Hannah Schaljo, Lauren Everett, Devan Parkerson, Taryn Farley The 2015 will be crowned at 4 p.m. May 3 at the pavailion at the Knights of Columbus Grounds near the Shrine. Photo Credit: Kent Miller Photography
Since 1963, the Valley of Flowers Festival celebration has been called the “first festival of spring.” The festival has a variety of events, carnival rides, food, entertaining, ending with one of the biggest parades in the metro area
This three-day weekend festival has activities for everyone from a flower and plant sale to culturally diverse musical performances. There are baseball games, craft and flea market sales, children’s activities, a classic car show and of course good food. Carnival games and exciting rides are featured at the Duchesne Knights of Columbus Fairgrounds.
The official parade on Sunday, May 3 is a highlight of the weekend that leads up to the crowning of the Valley of Flowers Queen and her Court at the Duchesne Knights of Columbus Pavilion.
Since 1963, the Valley of Flowers parade has been on the first Sunday afternoon in May. This year’s parade features more than 120 units. It will begin with the vehicle units and floats departing from the James J. Eagan Center at 1:45 pm and proceeding up Parker Road to Florissant Road where the parade turns left. At that point the vehicles and floats will be joined by youth and other special units, as well as the marching bands, who will be waiting in the Atonement Lutheran Church parking lot. From there the parade will proceed along Florissant Road turning right on rue St. Francois and past the official parade stands then left on St. Ferdinand Street. Proceeding to Washington Street the parade will turn right and end at the Knights of Columbus fairgrounds.
The parade theme this year is “Valley of Flowers Celebrates Those Who Serve” and will feature many City and local municipal emergency responders vehicles along with many veterans groups and local government officials. Other units will include the Valley of Flowers Queen candidates, the current 2014 Queen and Court, numerous themed floats, decorated cars, antique cars, marching bands, horses, dogs and many other entertaining and unique parade units.
After the parade concludes at the Knights of Columbus grounds, the candidates will proceed to the pavilion stage for the crowning of the 2015 Valley of Flowers Queen and her court. Prior to the Queen and Court crowning ceremony, awards will be presented to the various winning parade units and their sponsors.
So come early and get good seats for one of the largest parades in St. Louis County and then meet us at the Knights of Columbus for the exciting awards and crowning ceremonies.
The festival is organized by the Valley of Flowers Committee: Chairman, Pat Stinnett; Coordinator, Kati Mahoney; Board Members; Jerry Ahlert, Kathy Blasingame, Vicky Egan, Mary Gettemeier, Mike Kubiak, Pamela Lee and Michael O’Fallon. The Committee works in partnership with the City of Florissant
