A Brief History The Spokane Lilac Festival has been a “Lilac City” tradition since 1938. It was an effort originated by the Associated Garden Clubs and the Spokane Floral Society to boast our beautiful spring lilacs, and to showcase our area youth. They organized a parade and royalty program to honor young women from the Spokane area. Over the past sixty plus years, the Lilac Festival has taken on many activities and it has undergone several changes. However, if has always remained true to one of its original objectives -promoting our greatest resource, today’s youth. The Spokane Lilac Festival has volunteer Directors and Lilac Royalty Court members who travel weekends from April through October representing the Lilac City of Spokane in other Pacific and Inland Northwest communities.