Members of the Texas Rose Festival royal court are pictured the Everything's Coming Up Roses brunch. The brunch was held at Ramsey Fritz Jewels in Tyler. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

AUGUSTA ROBINSON, augustarobinson@tylerpaper.com

As a former lady-in-waiting in the Texas Rose Festival, Lynda Evans, of Tyler, was able to build strong friendships and memories she still cherishes.

She is hoping her daughter, Queen of the 84th Texas Rose Festival Emily Kaye Evans, will have the same experience during her involvement in this year’s festival.

“I made lifelong friends from all over, and I’m hoping the same thing for her, “ Mrs. Evans said. “(The Rose Festival) is such a great event to bring people from different communities into Tyler and really kind of show off our community.”

In preparation for the 84th Texas Rose Festival, the queen and her court are spending this week practicing their routines for the coronation program. The festival is set to take place Oct. 19 to 22, and will follow the “Celestial Wonders” theme.

Tomark the start of the summer rehearsal season for the Tyler court, Miss Evans, Duchess of the Texas Rose Festival Caroline Bertram and ladies-in-waiting in the festival gathered with their mothers at the Ramsey Fritz Jewels and Garden Style stores just before noon Wednesday in celebration of the “Everything’s Comin’ Up Roses” brunch.

The experience gave participants a chance to mingle, form bonds and learn about roses and the flower’s significance to Tyler’s history. Friends of the Rose traditionally host the gathering.

At the event, LeaAnn Ramsey Fritz, owner of Ramsey Fritz Jewels, spoke to the participants about her experience learning about Tyler’s roses and the compliments she has heard about the flower’s rootstock.

“What is fascinating about our rose bushes (is their) extra hardy rootstock,” she said. “Y’all are the rootstock and y’all are our town. We are so proud of you.”

For Miss Evans, the experience of being queen of the 84th Texas Rose Festival has come with lots of responsibilities that she seems eager to embrace. She added that she hopes the community embraces the festival and comes out to see the end result of this week’s rehearsals.

“I would recommend that they come to the coronation too because it is a really good sight to see, and to really get to know the people in it,” Miss Evans said. “We have a role to play in this community promoting the rose industry.”

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