Lilac Festival Pins On Sale This Week Air National Guard’s Director To Be Grand Marshal On May 20

There’s a Western theme, colorful buttons and a grand marshal. It’s time again for the Spokane Lilac Festival, officials announced Monday.

“This is a grand and glorious event,” Spokane Mayor Jack Geraghty said.

“It’s one we all look forward to.”

Lilac Festival Association President Dick Totten chose “Lilac Country” as the theme for this year’s Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade, which will be held May 20.

Totten said he’s not sure why he picked that theme but said it fits the city.

“It’s what we are,” Totten said.

The theme was carried over into the design of the 1995 Lilac Festival pin, which was unveiled Monday at City Hall.

The decorative button has bright purple lilacs wrapped around a spur.

Association marketing director Pat McGuire said this year’s pin, which was made in Taiwan, has the best lilac design he’s seen.

“It’s the first that made the lilacs really look like lilacs,” McGuire said. “They look the best this year.”

The pins will go on sale this week for $2 at “just about every retail outlet we can think of,” McGuire said.

The national director of the Air National Guard will be honored as the parade’s grand marshal.

Donald Shepperd, who lives in Washington, D.C., will ride in the parade winding through downtown Spokane.

More than 100,000 people are expected at the event.