WESTFORD — The annual Apple Blossom Festival and Parade ties together the past and present. Its origins date to the 1930s, but its modern-day history dates back a while also—to 1968 when Westford Kiwanis revived the event. It has been held in the town every year since then, with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic years.
On parade day, some onlookers will inevitably drift down memory lane as they recall their younger selves on parade days many years ago when they were Boy Scouts or Westford Academy Marching Band members. While other onlookers are focused on the present as they see the shining eyes of their toddlers when that big fire truck goes by.
“It means a lot to the people of the town,” said Michael Harm, a member of Westford Kiwanis who is involved in the event’s planning. “I like that my town has a parade and it’s fun to see all the town lined up along Main Street and Depot Street.”
Apple Blossom Festival days, which feature ice cream, fried food and carnival rides that make it hard to keep your digestion in-line bring out the community.
Westford Kiwanis doesn’t have numbers on how many people line the streets to watch the parade or attend the festival, but it’s a big enough undertaking that they partner with the Westford Police Department and Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, said Kiwanis Treasurer Stefany Eck.
The event is Westford Kiwanis’ major fundraiser. A portion of carnival sales taken in by Fiesta Shows goes to the nonprofit, which uses that money to help students through awarding scholarships, student financial support programs, hosting senior summer cookouts and programs for neighbors in need. Kiwanis also gives back to local nonprofits during the festival by paying Boy Scouts and community groups for their services, such as parking vehicles on the grass at Abbot School where the carnival is held.
For 2025, there are 52 entries in the parade, including the Westford Academy Marching Band and middle school bands, Westford’s police department honor guard and fire department’s color guard, Westford Minutemen as well as a karate school, youth sports, local government officials and a local farm.
The parade “brings visibility to groups around town,” Eck said.
Volunteers and Safety
In 2023, Westford Kiwanis was down to three members and the Apple Blossom Festival and Parade almost did not happen, Harm said. Since then, the group has rebuilt its membership and is continuing that process. Today, the nonprofit has about eight active members who run the event with the support of the Town of Westford and help from other volunteers.
Kiwanis volunteers are at the festival every day, Eck said. And many non-Kiwanis volunteers come out to help. In addition, the support of local community groups, the Town of Westford and businesses that buy advertisements in event materials are important to the festival’s success, she said. Kiwanis volunteers are also grateful to the Westford Public School District for allowing the event to be held at Abbot School.
Harm said Westford Kiwanis is always looking for people who would like to get involved and join the group, adding it is a great way to contribute to the community.
Kiwanis volunteers for the festival do everything from thinking of new events, like this year’s Apple Blossom Festival Car Show, which they hope draws a larger crowd on the lower-attendance Sunday, to gathering necessary permits for the parade and festival and being on site to monitor safety.
Eck acknowledged that there have been injuries on carnival rides in the past. She said Westford Kiwanis is confident in their carnival provider, adding, Fiesta Shows must undergo state safety inspections.
“We have worked with Fiesta for more than a decade and it does come up,” she said, “We are well aware and we will be out keeping an eye on things.”
Updating the “Parade Queen” Award
In the past, the parade had a queen who participated in the ceremonies, but in 2024, there was no queen, Harm said. This year, the queen tradition is getting an update with the rolling out of a new award: The first-ever Apple Blossom STAR Award (Service Together Achieves Results).
Club members wanted to refocus the award’s qualifications on community service and also accept nominations of any gender, Harm said. Westford Academy and Nashoba Valley Technical High School staff were asked to nominate high school seniors who live in Westford and then Kiwanis Club members reviewed the students’ community involvement and conducted interviews to make their final decision.
“All of the candidates that we interviewed were amazing,” Eck said. “It’s very reassuring to hear what young people in the school system are doing for the community.”
The winner of the new STAR Award (Service Together Achieves Results) is Heer Mehta, a Westford Academy senior. Westford Kiwanis is also bringing back its “Person of the Year Award,” which will be given to Angela Harkness, Westford’s town moderator.
Apple Blossom Festival and Parade
- Parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17, starting at Main Street and Graniteville Road and ends at Abbot School, 25 Depot Street.
- Carnival rides and festival, run by Fiesta Shows, will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14 through Friday, May 16; 11:30 a.m. to about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 18.
- Sunday, May 18, will feature a classic car show and the $10 entry fee is part of the event’s fundraising. There is also a $1 processing fee per car. Awards will be given. Space is limited to the first 70 cars to register. Public entrance is free.
- American Thunder Fireworks will present a show at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
To learn more and purchase tickets or wristbands for the carnival rides, visit https://westford.org/kiwanis/
