Lilac crown candidates must adhere to rules of conduct

Thu., Feb. 23, 2006

By Lisa Leinberger lisal@spokesman.com (509) 459-5449

Since you were a little girl, you’ve dreamed of wearing a sparkling tiara while waving to crowds of adoring friends and family from a float going a break-neck 10 mph down Spokane Falls Boulevard.

However, the Spokane Lilac Festival Association has some strict rules of conduct for those chasing their light purple dreams.

Here are excerpts from the contract all participants must sign:

• You must be a female, full-time high school student living in Spokane County, but if you have been married, divorced, or have given birth, you’re out of the running.

• That pack of Camels hiding in your purse has got to go for good. Use of tobacco products is not allowed. That includes chewing tobacco, as much as you might want to nail a parade spectator with a shot of tobacco juice.

• You know that huge kegger at the captain of the football team’s house on Saturday that absolutely everyone worth knowing at your school will attend? Sorry. Use of alcohol, controlled substances or any nonprescription mind, personality or mood-altering substances is prohibited. You can’t sell that stuff or possess it, either. No word yet on that triple-shot grande mocha you’ve been sipping through college-prep English.

• It’s one crown per person. If you are already the Queen of the Corn Festival in rural Iowa or hold another crown or title, you can’t be in the Lilac Festival.

• If you’ve been convicted of a crime, there is no need to check with your parole officer about joining the royal court. Just try to stay out of the other courts.

• You’ll need an accumulated grade-point average above 3.0, and good attendance and citizenship records. What you don’t need is a litigious nature or a sense of outrage. The contract specifies – in underlined type – that by participating in the royalty selection process, you waive all rights to contest any aspect of the judging.

So before you pop a beer, light up a smoke, and start planning your Reno wedding, think again. You’ll end up slowly waving – goodbye to your Lilac dreams.

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