ALLIANCE ‒ The Greater Alliance Carnation Festival Flower Show is not meant for professional florists. It's for amateurs.
Judging in the annual event was held Saturday in the Art Gallery of the Giese Center at the University of Mount Union, adjacent to Food Fest. About 80 displays were submitted from 10 participants. Most came from adults.
The 2024 Carnation queen, Oneal Everett, and her court − 1st Attendant Isabella Hall; 2nd Attendant Alexandra Ritchie; 3rd Attendant Sophia Ayers; and Miss Congeniality Lilyan Ronske − also attended the festival event to look over the displays.
Tina Lucas, co-organizer, said the Flower Show offers local gardeners and creative minds a free show to display their skills. Most shows have entry fees, she added. "It's for the person that is not a professional," Lucas said.
Among those awarded ribbons were Susan Sprout of Washington Township and Noelle Lewis, 10, of Alliance, the youngest participant. Sprout won the Levi Lamborn Award for a floral basket. The "Best In Show" winner was Dan Mitchell of Beloit for a red calla lily.
Hungry? Greater Alliance Carnation Festival Food Fest has "the goods," now through Saturday
Sprout said she doesn't always enter the contest. "I just had this idea of doing this (arrangement)," and decided to give it a shot. She also won for other floral designs.
"I love flowers," Sprout said.
The Flower Show − which organizers say has seen a waning in interest − moved this year to the Giese Center after several years at Jupiter Event Center in downtown Alliance. The hope, Lucas said, is that the change of venue will reinvigorate the show because it's now closer to other Carnation Festival events.
"It's dwindled over the years," Lucas said, "We're trying it here this year, and we'll see how it works out."
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com . On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Carnation Festival Flower Show draws 80 displays to Mount Union venue
Most Popular
Comments / 0