“Eighty Years and Still Blooming” is the Rhododendron Festival theme, which does not mean the 2015 season is same-old, same-old.

This Saturday's royalty coronation program has a special feature: Pat Ruel, assistant offensive line coach with the Seattle Seahawks, is the guest emcee. Ruel has friends in Port Townsend and has helped with a variety of other youth program fundraising projects here, and is now lending his talent to boost the Rhododendron Festival Association.

"We have a great program to offer and hope that having Mr. Ruel will be another reason for people to turn out and support our community's oldest festival," said Juanita Maples, coronation program director.

The coronation program includes four candidates vying to become Rhododendron Festival queen, along with the first-graders who are Junior Royalty, the middle school students (including the first-ever boy) who are Queen's Court royalty, and senior citizen association royalty.

The royalty coronation program takes place at 5 p.m., Saturday, March 14 at the Chimacum High School auditorium. Tickets are sold at the door. The candidates vying to be Rhody queen are:

• Morgan Chaffee, 17, is the daughter of Peter and Annette Chaffee of Port Townsend. At school, Morgan is involved in cheerleading and is ASB secretary for her class. Her community activities include coaching at Twisters Gymnastics, and Relay for Life. She also served as a legislative page in Olympia in 2012. After high school, she intends to attend college and become a physical therapist.

• Lillian Kelly, 17, is the daughter of Michelle Paden and Nicholas Kelly. She is a school cheerleader and has been a golf team member. Her community activities include the Centrum Gala, Cake Walk and the Port Townsend Food Bank Senior Day. She is a 13-year participant at the O’Meara Dance Studio. After high school, she intends to earn a college degree and become a physician’s assistant for a pediatric oncologist.

• Deidra Morris, 17 and a student at Chimacum High, is the daughter of Bliss and Lori Morris. At school, she has been a cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society, We Act Club, Future Farmers of America, and is executive ASB president and a Cispus counselor. Her community activities include being a Little League cheer coach, and working at the East Jefferson Little League concession stand. She plans to attend Washington State University to major in communications and eventually become a sports broadcaster.

• Sam Smith, 17, is the daughter of Shawna-Kay Cochran, former Rhody royalty. Sam is involved in Knowledge Bowl at school, and her many community activities include 4-H Cat Club and 4-H Leadership, and she is a 4-H State Advisory Board member. She plans to attend college, become a nurse midwife, and eventually advance to become a nurse practitioner. She hopes to use her training to help women in impoverished countries.

Candidate scoring is based on public speaking engagements (30 percent), judge's interview (30 percent), coronation program performance (25 percent) and candidate coordinators (15 percent). The judge's interviews were conducted March 8 at Manresa Castle in Port Townsend.

The outgoing 2014 royalty are Queen Addison Richert, Princesses Kaycee McGuire and Lane Hill and Prince Shiloh Lanphear-Ramirez. The coronation program's entertainment includes a vocal performance by Richert.

JUNIOR ROYALTY

Junior Royalty (first graders) are Callie Mascarena, daughter of Marci Mascarena and a student at Chimacum Creek Primary; River Morley, daughter of Mike and Nicole Morley and a student at Grant Street Elementary in Port Townsend; Rylee Jo Spainhower, daughter of Jake Johnson and Kristen Oas and a student at Chimacum Creek Primary; Caroline Zurybida, daughter of Paul and Tricia Zurybida and a student at Chimacum Creek Primary; Kariann Armstrong, daughter of Rob and Jamie Armstrong and a homeschool student; Kattahlinah Hjelvik-Conlon, daughter of Katy Hjelvik and Chris Fettig, and a Quilcene Elementary student; and Parker Fettig, son of Chris and Shannon Fettig, and a student at Quilcene Elementary.

QUEEN'S COURT

The Queen's Court royalty (middle school) are Lacey Bishop, daughter of Ron and Shannon Bishop and a student at Chimacum Middle School; Alex Hanson, daughter of Sara Myers and Wayne Jones and a student at Brinnon School; and Dylan Tracer, son of Brian and Jennifer Tracer, and a student at Port Townsend School District’s OCEAN program.

SENIOR ROYALTY

The Tri-Area Senior Association royalty for 2015 are Jim Thompson and Loreen Sutherland. Thompson retired in 2001 from Harborview Medical Center. In Chimacum, he volunteers once a month for Meals on Wheels and enjoys helping people in his community. Sutherland has lived in PT for more than 50 years. She started as a volunteer scout leader, and has been a Tri-Area Community Center volunteer since 1998 serving Senior Nutrition meals.

The Port Townsend Senior Association royalty for this year are Jeff and Stephanie Boyles.

HELP RHODY

The Rhododendron Festival Association is a nonprofit organization that supports Jefferson County’s oldest community festival, named for Washington’s state flower. Event registration forms are at

rhodyfestival.org.

The annual festival takes place May 13-16, and is followed by Rhody Run XXXVII on May 17 (see rhodyrun.com). The week includes an arts and crafts fair downtown, carnival attractions at Memorial Athletic Field, a pet parade, kiddies’ parade, bed races, Kiwanis fish fry, the Jim Caldwell Memorial Rhody Open golf tournament, Elks Rhody fundraiser pancake breakfast, and more.

FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Fundraising is needed to pay for the 2015 royalty scholarships: $1,500 for queen and $1,000 for each princess. Special events planned include a spaghetti dinner starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at the Oscar Erickson Building at the fairgrounds in Port Townsend. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12 for the event that includes a live auction and a balloon pop raffle.

The ever-popular "Dude Looks Like a Lady" fashion show is set May 9 at the Marvin G. Shields Memorial American Legion Hall in Port Townsend.

Hilltop Tavern's popular Wednesday Bingo for April is a fundraiser for the Rhododendron Festival.

Royalty booster pins are available at the following businesses: Four Corners Store, Penny Saver, The Hilltop Tavern, The Veterinary Clinic, Pizza Factory, Fiesta Jalisco, First Federal, Ferino's Pizzeria, Kitsap Credit Union, The Salon in Port Hadlock, Peninsula Family Dentistry, Farm's Reach Cafe, Grounds to Perfection Espresso, Cuts & Curls, Ajax Cafe, Port Townsend Brewing Co., and Quimper Mercantile Co.