*Producers investigating fireworks incident at festival

By Alex Bridges -- abridges@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- This year's Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival went well but not without a few hitches, an official said Monday.

The Bloom's fireworks show returned to John Handley High School on Friday after a year off. But several spectators saw more than just a light show when some fireworks launched into the crowd. They suffered minor injuries when some of the fireworks launched into the crowd.

Festival officials issued a statement Monday afternoon.

"The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, Inc. deeply regrets this accident occurring at all; but, most especially at one of our most beloved and best attended events," the statement reads.

Fireworks Productions Inc. produced the show and are conducting their own internal investigation into the "faulty elements" at this time and will issue their own statement at a later date.

"Preliminary reports would seem to indicate that the misfiring of some of the display elements at the 2010 Festival Fireworks Show was more than likely due to flaws in the elements themselves that caused them to malfunction," the release states.

For further developments, visit nvdaily.com or read the print edition of The Northern Virginia Daily.