By Mary Mills, Member Contributor
Old Promenade Site of Many Past Rose Festival Activities
“Taking myself back to the days when I was growing up, I remember counting the days until The Rose Festival started up. Spending time throughout the week at this festival was fun.
We would walk up to the promenade, where they had it full of activities from South 6th St – South 10th St. The activities would range from amusement rides, food vendors and tables with all kinds of novelties.
This festival had special events that brought in a nice crowd, like the time they made the huge apple pie or the giant cookie.
The Rose Festival Parade and the crowning of The Rose Queen was part of honoring the rose industry, along with the festival.
This rose industry was Hills’ Roses. Hills’ Roses opened up in 1881 and closed it’s doors in 2007.
It is sad to remember as the years passed by, this festival became smaller and smaller every year. And now it is a part of history just like Hills Roses. When you talk to today’s generation, they don’t remember the Rose Festival.”
Editor’s Note: We are fortunate that older area festivals like those in Hagerstown, Cambridge City, Centerville, and others are still going strong. And in Richmond, many people work hard each year to revive the feeling of the Rose Festival with celebrations like: the Heritage Festival, Starr Gennett Induction concerts, and the Kids Parade and other exciting events throughout the summer. Those of us who grew up with the Rose Festival have fond memories attached to our childhood from those years, which are now an important part of the history of Richmond. (To read more blogs by Mary Mills, of Rollin Mills, you can go to her site at: RollinMills.com.)
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