<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1t7LAm_1F3RLBt800" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1t7LAm_1F3RLBt800" width="1024" height="530" ><figcaption>Wasco High Tigers carry their banner during the 2023 Wasco Rose Parade. The Wasco Rose Festival returns this week to Wasco with a variety of activities. Rod Thornburg / For The Californian, File ▲</figcaption></figure>Event season is in bloom with the return of the Wasco Rose Festival.This annual celebration highlighting the flower that is one of the town's biggest exports has been a community mainstay since 1969.For the last six years, the Wasco Rose Festival Foundation has overseen the gathering that includes four days of activities. It is a responsibility the nonprofit takes to heart, according to Sharon Sharp, the foundation's secretary."This is our legacy event in Wasco. It's the event that's gone on the longest and all of us on the board just feel honored that we can help carry it forward. We are so grateful to our sponsors who help make sure that it can happen. We're a nonprofit, we give up our time, but we couldn't do it without our sponsors and our volunteers."Sharp notes that it's an "all hands on deck" operation with Wasco High students volunteering as community service, participation from the school districts in the parade and student art show and a host of local organizations that host events and participate.New this year is the return of the honored guest reception, this year called "An Evening in Bloom," being held at Park Place Banquet Hall just outside of Wasco.Saturday's formal dinner, which unfortunately is already sold out, will include acknowledgement of city officials and other dignitaries as well as a spotlight on the Wasco Rose Parade grand marshals and honorary grand marshal.Serving this year are Gary and Tina Earl and Orquidea Ocampo.The Earls are lifelong Wasco residents who have been active in the community through various groups and causes including aiding Wasco youth.Ocampo is an award-winning educator for the Buttonwillow Union School District who serves on multiple boards including the Wasco Community Scholarship Association Board as director. She also co-founded the Orange Heart Foundation.The Miss Wasco Rose Queen Pageant will serve as honorary grand marshal, a designation that allows the organizers to select a group that impacts the community, even if participants live elsewhere in the county. (Grand marshals must be Wasco residents.)Sharp pointed out that the pageant has been held without fail since 1969."In all the years of the Rose Festival, there were years where, during COVID, we didn't have a festival, but there was always a pageant. No matter what, they always had the pageant. They found a way to have it. So in all these years, it's the one thing that's happened. It's just part of Wasco tradition and history.The pageant kicks off the festival on Thursday evening at the Wasco High School Auditorium.If you can't attend the pageant, fear not. The newly crowned queen and her court will take part in Saturday's pageant, riding a float near a car that will include the outgoing queen.The parade will feature more than 50 other participants including several schools, the Tiger Marching Band, Wasco High FFA, Planet Dance Studio, a folklorico group, a soccer club, community groups, churches and the city of Wasco."The city of Wasco, they participate in the parade with all their big equipment, heavy equipment, and the kids love that," Sharp said.Saturday will also include vendors and activities in Barker Park as well as an art competition at the Veterans Hall featuring work by students in the After School Education and Safety program run by the Wasco Union Elementary School District.There will also be tours of the rose fields, an activity that returned last year to great acclaim. Tickets, which are extremely limited, are available on the festival website.The festivities will also include the Pancake Breakfast, hosted by North Kern Christian School as a dine-in or drive-thru, event; the Wasco Recreation and Parks District Color Blast Fun Run at Barker Park; the Block &amp; Tackle deep pit drive-thru dinner at Wasco High; and 2nd to None Men's Basketball Tournament. which runs through Sunday.Although it has been hosted by different organizations over the years, this year's car show will be run by the foundation itself. Sharp said a board member with car show experience has helped get everything together.Heading into its sixth year in charge, the foundation is hitting its stride, Sharp said.Our goal every year is just to get a little bigger, a little better. ... We're starting on our way to our first decade of doing this. We're just trying to carry it forward and keep it growing."Everyone is busy and excited to get the festival underway, even as they plan a bit of a rest after.Sharp said, "We will sleep well on Sunday."The Wasco Rose Festival kicks off Thursday with the Miss Wasco Rose Queen Pageant and continues through Sunday with the conclusion of the 2nd to None men's basketball tournament. Visit wascorosefestival.com and follow @wascorosefest on Instagram or Facebook for the latest information.</div></body>

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Event season is in bloom with the return of the Wasco Rose Festival. This annual celebration highlighting the flower that is one of the town's biggest exports has been a community mainstay since 1969. For the last six years, the Wasco Rose Festival Foundation has overseen the gathering that includes...

Wasco Rose Festival keeps on growing

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Event season is in bloom with the return of the Wasco Rose Festival. This annual celebration highlighting the flower that is one of the town's biggest expo

Wasco Rose Festival keeps on growing

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