Road Apple Roulette returns to Apple Blossom with annual charity raffle

WENATCHEE — This town has been known as the “Apple Capital of the World” for 123 years, but for one weekend every year, the most famous apples in town are of an inedible variety.

No, we’re not talking crabapples. These are road apples, and while they’re not as common to find these days as they were all the way back in 1902, on the day of the Stemilt Grand Parade there will be plenty. Still, their rarity makes them valuable, at least to the Rotary Club of Wenatchee Sunrise — they’re selling raffle tickets that will give one lucky winner a chance to win $10,000 if they can correctly guess where along the parade route the first fruit will fall.

Grown exclusively on the southbound end of a northbound equine, road apples only have a market like this once a year. But with such a giant cash prize for Poo-stradamus, and prizes of $500 each for four other players who are nearly as good at predicting the angle of descent of these precious piles, the $5 raffle ticket is well worth the price.

Plus, all the money the Rotarians raise with this raffle goes to a good cause, no matter which nonprofit is getting it. The primary one this year is the YMCA Capital Campaign, which is doing the hard work of bringing this valley a brand new facility  for our entire area to enjoy.

Here’s how it works: You buy a raffle ticket anytime before May 3rd at the Blossom and Brews Beer Garden in Memorial Park or from “your friendly local Rotarian,” as members have come to be known around town. You make your predictions. Then, when the big day arrives, you can see what “betting on the horses” really means in the “Poop Zone” on Orondo Avenue in front of Memorial Park.

The raffle drawing takes place on the GESA Credit Union Entertainment Stage at 3 p.m. when the winner of the $10,000 cash prize will be announced. No actual road apples will be awarded.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media