2026 Royalty Process

Senior Girls in high school are invited to take part in the 2026 Apple Blossom Royalty Candidate Process!

If you or your parents have any questions about the Royalty Program, please don’t hesitate to call anytime at the Festival Office at (509) 662-3616 or email darci@appleblossom.org

Qualifications

To be eligible to run for 2026 Royalty, you must …

1. Be at least sixteen (16) years of age and not have reached your twentieth (20th) birthday by January 1, 2026.

2. Be a female member of the graduating class and a full-time student in the Wenatchee/Eastmont School District (Public, Private, or Running Start)

3. You must have a cumulative 2.75 Grade Point Average, based on a 4.00 point system, at the time you register as a candidate for the Festival Royalty Program – Determined by your June 2025 Report Card

4. Be able to participate in all scheduled activities of the Festival and Royalty Program. Royalty will attend over 14 out-of-town Festivals and over 180 local appearances.

Mandatory Meetings

Tuesday, November 04
@ 12:00 noon, 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm at the Wenatchee Convention Center
You and a parent/guardian must attend 1 of our 3 Mandatory Meetings (you do not need to attend the same meeting as your parent/guardian). You cannot run for Royalty if you and a parent/guardian do not a Mandatory Meeting.

Deadline for Royalty Application

Friday, November 07
@ 12:00 noon
Must be completed online (see link below). You cannot run for Royalty if you did not attend a Mandatory Meeting on Tuesday, November 4.

Preliminary Candidate Training & Rehearsal Days

Candidate Speech Read-Through
Monday, November 24 @ 3:30pm for Wenatchee School District Candidates
Tuesday, November 25 @ 2:30pm for Eastmont School District Candidates

Panel Question Work & Outfit Review
Monday, December 8 @ 3:30pm for Wenatchee School District Candidates
Tuesday, December 9 @ 2:30pm for Eastmont School District Candidates

Final Speech Presentation: Memorized
Monday, December 8 @ 3:30pm for Wenatchee School District Candidates
Tuesday, December 9 @ 2:30pm for Eastmont School District Candidates

Dress Rehearsal
Monday, January 5 @ 3:30pm for Wenatchee School District Candidates
Tuesday, January 6 @ 2:30pm for Eastmont School District Candidates

Top 10 Day: Rehearsal

Sunday, January 11
@ 11:00am at the Numerica Performing Arts Center

Top 10 Day: Tuesday, January 13 (Judged Events)

(PART 1) “Get to Know You” Morning of Jan 13 at the at the Wenatchee Convention Center (NOT open to the public)
5 out-of-town judges scores account for 50% of total Top 10 score

The Preliminary Candidates running for Royalty will introduce themselves, be asked a series of questions from their bio, plans after graduation, etc. This will be in a room in the Convention Center. Not open to the public.

(PART 2) “Top 10 Speeches” Afternoon of Jan 13 @ 1:30 pm at the Numerica PAC (OPEN to the public)
5 out-of-town judges scores account for the remaining 50% of total Top 10 score

Senior Girls from the Wenatchee and Eastmont School Districts will present their 2-3 minute long speeches, each on the same topic. Open to the public, and streamed lived on NCWLIFE.

Top 10 Announcement

Evening of Tuesday, January 13 @ 6:00 pm at the Numerica PAC (OPEN to the public)
The Top 10 Announcement will be held in the evening. 5 girls from the Wenatchee School District and 5 girls from the Eastmont School District will be chosen.

Top 10 Events

January 13 - February 13
The Top 10 will be spending this time preparing for Pageant (you will receive full schedule @ Mandatory Meetings)

2026 Royalty Selection Pageant (Judged Event)

Saturday, February 14
@ 7:00 pm at the Numerica Performing Arts Center
5 out-of-town judges scores account for 100% of total Top 10 score

Benefits

1. The Queen will receive a Scholarship of $10,000 from the Wenatchee Applarians, and the two Princesses will each receive a $5,000 Scholarship!

2. The remaining 7 Candidates will each receive a $1,000 Scholarship

3. Four $1,000 scholarships will be presented Pageant Night (Achievement, Community Involvement, Congeniality, Most Original Speech)

4. The opportunity to travel all over the Northwest.

5. The opportunity to visit different places in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee to become more familiar with our own community.

6. The opportunity to make new friends and have memories that will last a lifetime!

Royalty Process Testimonials

Below is a link to our Royalty Process Testimonials — featuring past Candidates who, just like you, had a lot on their plate during their Senior Year. Hear how they balanced school, sports, personal life, and the excitement (and challenge!) of running for Apple Blossom Royalty.
(Spoiler: every single one of them said it was absolutely worth it!)

These girls answer questions like:
• Why did you decide to run for Apple Blossom Royalty?
• What did you learn most about yourself as a Top Ten Candidate?
• What surprised you most about the process?
• What was stressful for you and how did you manage it?
• What made you nervous — and how did you overcome it?
• How did running for Royalty impact your school and personal life?
• What was your favorite or most fun moment?
• If you could do it all over again, would you?
• Why would you encourage other Senior girls to run?

We know this process can come with lots of questions and uncertainties — and that’s totally normal. Our hope is that these stories inspire you to take the leap and say yes to the Royalty experience! 🌸