Bush daughter to visit Marshfield for Cherry Blossom Festival in April

Photo by Timothy Horrigan

Jenna (Bush) Hager, daughter of President George W. and Laura Bush, confirmed yesterday that she will attend the 7th-annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield on April 27.

Hager is just one member of the many presidential families that will be present at this three-day festival in Webster County. She will speak at one of the event's many public forums.

"This is the first year that we have invited Jenna to attend," said festival chairperson Nicholas W. Inman. "However, members of her family have been represented at past festivals. Her grandparents sent a taped video message last year; it can be viewed on the festival website. Also, her grandfather's first cousin, Ambassador George Herbert Walker spoke last year."

Inman said that over 26 presidential families will be represented at Cherry Blossom Festival this year, along with appearances by bluegrass extraordinaire Rhonda Vincent, Gilligan's Island's Dawn Wells and Maggie Peterson Mancuso, who played Charlene Darling on The Andy Griffith Show.

"There will be vendors around the square, several dinners, presentations of the Ella Dickey Literacy Award, Missouri Walk of Fame stars and the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative, Marshfield's highest honor," Inman said. "The festival will also feature several free historic forums, panels, book signings, autograph sessions and talks."

Inman's vision for the event when he organized the first Cherry Blossom Festival seven years ago is still evident today.

"It is a weekend that promotes the preservation of Missouri and American history," Inman said. "There are many events for those who love typical festival events. ... However, our festival is like no other. It serves as a reunion spot for presidential descendants each year. It is the largest gathering of such relatives in the nation."

For a complete schedule of the 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival, visit www.cherryblossomfest.com.