For 63 years, the Almond Blossom Parade has been one of Ripon’s biggest events, with countless fun floats, free merchandise, this season’s princesses, and an undeniable excitement for the event to come.
Junior Emme Wilbur, recently crowned 2025’s Miss Ripon, made her first appearance with the title, along with the other Almond Blossom princesses. They all put in hours of work for the community, including attending many events. Junior McKenzie Spear appreciated all the help her dad gave her during her time as a candidate. “He was always there for me and helped me whenever I needed him,” she states.
“To me, being a candidate meant showing off the Ripon spirit in everything I do while also being a good role model to the younger kids who look up to me,” states RHS junior Sage Petersen. She loved the memories she made throughout the process and especially during the parade, which has always been her favorite Almond Blossom Tradition.
The RHS Marching Band, including instructor Philip Fiorio on the snare drum, was led by senior Chloe Lautenslager as drum major. Lautenslager has played a key role in leading the band after a change in director and she continued to hold the group together during their march down Main Street. Being a drum major requires a lot of patience and responsibility, and Lautenslager is the perfect representation of that. “It was really nice seeing people get excited over seeing us and getting to see us play.”
Ripon High FFA decided to design their 30-foot float to represent the theme of celebrating 25 years of Cal Crush. Officers waved and passed out candy to the crowds as they passed by on a float with a mini excavator and fake rocks. “I helped out with building and planning, plus the coordination of all the people,” says Senior Forrest Fauchier. His favorite part of the parade was getting to sit in the giant Save Mart shopping cart.
The recent tradition of the Galactic Empire presence at the Almond Blossom Parade continued this year. With the slogan of “Bad guys doing good”, members of the 501st Legion brought the magic of the Star Wars franchise to Ripon.
Quick Quack Car Wash, with a newly established building in town, brought tons of merchandise to pass out to the on-lookers, including a duck bill necklace. That was a highlight for many little kids, who enjoyed something to play with while watching.
Another memorable group was a couple young girls with ponies, followed by a beautiful white carriage. One of the two ponies was adorned with large pegasus wings, making the whole scene feel like a fairytale.
Riponites set up their chairs several days before the parade which just goes to show how important the Almond Blossom Parade is to the culture of our town. The beautiful weather allowed for one of the most pleasant parades we’ve had in a while. Once the parade floats passed by, many people packed up and went straight to continue the fun at the carnival. 2025 was the year for tons of Almond Blossom fun!
