PARADE ABLOOM WITH POSSIBILITY RAIN LEFT LAST YEAR'S FESTIVAL WITHOUT CHERRIES.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO

Staff Writer

LEONA VALLEY -- Leona Valley's cherry tree blossoms are blooming, an indication that this year's crop will ripen in time for the annual Cherry Parade and Festival in early June.

Last year, rain and cool weather in March and April delayed the cherry blossoms and pushed back the ripening until the end of June, and there were no ripe cherries to pick at parade time.

"We should all have cherries as long as we don't get cold weather," said Jennifer Beeler, president of the Leona Valley Cherry Growers Association. "It's exciting to see the blossoms come out. Oh my gosh, they are so beautiful, and to know that fruit is coming in behind that."

The parade and festival will take place June9. Leona Valley's cherry crop draws fruit lovers from all over Southern California and even from Japan and Europe.

The parade will start at 11a.m. at the intersection of 90th Street West and Leona Avenue. The festival begins after the parade and goes until 4p.m. at the community center on Elizabeth Lake Road, featuring games, food and crafts.

Orchards' opening dates will be reported on the growers association telephone hotline at [phone].

Blessed with an altitude and climate suited for cherries, the valley has 21 "U-pick" sweet cherry ranches and one sour cherry ranch where visitors can enjoy the country atmosphere and pick the fruit themselves.

Beeler runs the valley's oldest orchard, Hobart's Cherries, whose oldest trees were planted in 1959.

The association's Web site is www.cherriesupic.com.

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

To learn more

The Leona Valley Cherry Growers Association Web site is www.cherriesupic.com.

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