Moonlighting: The Daffodil Festival

Blogging isn't the only opportunity I get to show off my writing chops, you know. Sure, I've always got schoolwork and English classes - those college essays are never exactly as easy to write as I'd like them to be - and I've kept a journal since the sixth grade, but there's always more means of getting my work out there. I'm a writer with many hats... my pen has many caps, I guess? Regardless, beyond simply my blogging, sometimes I moonlight a little. 

THE PIERCE COUNTY DAFFODIL FESTIVAL

I've never exactly been shy about my love for the land I came from. My Tacoma origins are a distinct place of pride for me, and despite my newly-planted Seattle roots, it's going to take a lot more coffee and plaid flannel of the Emerald City to stomp out the Grit City girl in me. And happily for me, my love for Tacoma perfectly complements yet another celebration of the great things growing in Pierce County of which I am extremely - and equally vocally - fond: Pierce County's Daffodil Festival. 

The Daffodil Festival is a community celebration that has taken place for over the past 80 years in Pierce County. Winding its way through the four Pierce County cities of Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting, all in one day, the Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade - the year's biggest event - took place just this past weekend, and, naturally, when the question came up of whether I'd be back in town to contribute to the proceedings, the answer was an unequivocal and resounding "YES!" 

After all, this Festival transformed my high school experience through a senior year full of volunteering opportunities, charity work, community outreach, and even ambassadorship. I made friends for life, and bonded with not only a group of 23 of the most amazing young women I know, but the communities they came from, as well. One of the ways I'm able to give back to the organization who continues to inspire me so much, thankfully, is through one of the things I'm best at, so when the Daffodil Festival needs to get news out about what's going on, I've been able to lend a hand. 

Here are a couple of links to some of the articles I've been writing in the past couple of months in support of the Festival: 

TACOMA WEEKLY Front-Pagers

February 11th - Daffodil Festival Princess Promenade

March 11th - Daffodil Festival Annual Coronation Celebration

April 2nd - Daffodil Festival Grande Floral Parade (Pre-Parade)

April 10th - Daffodil Festival (Post-Parade)

DAFFODIL NEWSPAPER INSERT

Running in between the pages of the News Tribune and the Tacoma Weekly, this newspaper insert provides a means of communicating strictly Festival news, promoting the amazing women of the Daffodil Royal Court and the exceptional work they do, as well as thanking some of this year's sponsors.

The Daffodil Festival is always going to have a large place in my heart, which is why it will always have a place in my writing, as well. Though I may not mention it on my blog all the time, the Festival has events going on all year, and wherever those yellow dresses spread sunshine, you can bet I'm there, too.