In 1923, a local fruit processor, Fred L. Granger, and the Reverend Joshua O. Randall conceived the idea of a floral parade to promote the expanding local business .They secured assistance from the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the Exchange Club. Initially, the publicity consisted of the circulation of a decorated truck around Chicago's "loop" inviting people to come to southwest Michigan. The first Grand Floral Parade was held on a Wednesday afternoon. The second parade was held on May 14, 1924. It included 30 floats, two marching bands and hundreds of private automobiles, which made a tour of the new "Blossom lanes" of southwest Michigan.
Also in 1924, Catherine Burrell of Benton Harbor was chosen by newspaper ballots to reign as the first Blossomtime Queen. In subsequent years communities began to hold their own contests selecting queens to represent them in a collective pageant for the title of Miss Blossomtime.
The festival temporarily ceased in 1943 with the advent of World War II. In 1951 the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor Chamber of Commerce created Blossomtime, Inc., a non-profit organization of some 75 members governed by a board of directors. The first post-war parade in 1952 attracted approximately 105,000 spectators who viewed 56 units.
The Blossomtime Festival is still going strong. This year's events will take place on March 14th. You can catch a glimpse of the official 1959 program and festivities after the jump.
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