LC student represents Virginia at Cherry Blossom Festival
Callom Harkrader
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Student Activities
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According to the event website, "The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, coordinates the schedule and raises funds to offer cultural and community-based events that are free and open to the public."
The National Cherry Blossom Festival includes many events that display the cultures of the many different states and nations involved, according to the website. Japan, Indonesia, Lithuania, Sweden, Thailand, South Korea and all 50 of the United States are represented in these events and each have a nominated princess who participates in many formal functions throughout the week, according to the 2009 Cherry Blossom Princess Program. Each state's chapter of the National Conference of State Societies chooses their representative for the festival.
"It was absolutely amazing. Best experience of my life," Smith said.
The Virginia representative enjoyed over a week of what can only be described as royal treatment.
"Police escort was definitely amazing. No red lights were awesome and the schedule was really busy, but it was worth it. Walking in high heels was tough, but you learn to deal with the pain," Smith said.
Being the princess of Virginia is not a first in Smith's family. Not only was her mother, Julie Smith, the princess of Virginia in 1974, but Smith's aunt was as well in 1972, Julie Smith said. On top of that, Smith's grandmother, Louie Parker, has been princess chairwoman for the National Conference of State Societies.
"It runs in the family," Smith said.
Smith's father also played a role in this once in a lifetime experience. According to the National Conference of State Societies Press Release on Wednesday, April 1, the princesses were introduced at a Congressional Reception in the Hart Senate Office Building and also attended The Cherry Blossom Grand Ball on Friday, April 3. Some princesses were escorted by their state senators, some by military officers, but Smith's escort was none other than her father.