How to Enjoy the Traverse City Cherry Festival

The National Cherry Festival has been held in Traverse City, Michigan for 80 years and draws 500,000 people from around the world. A daily schedule for the eight-day event is available that lists all the activities you can choose from. There are so many that everyone will find something they'll enjoy. From cherry-spitting and pie-eating contests to air shows, there are many ways to enjoy the Traverse City Cherry Festival.

Instructions

1. Visit the Festival Welcome Center in the Festival Open Space Park at Grandview Parkway and Union Street each day for event tickets and entertainment passes. You can leave and receive messages from friends and family at the Welcome Center, and lost items are turned in there. The Festival Open Space Park is where you'll find souvenirs, live entertainment, sponsor displays and samples, some food booths and the first aid facility. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

2. Keep physically fit by registering for a bike tour of Old Mission Peninsula, a two or four-person volleyball tournament, a hole-in-one contest for golfers, a bed race and a Festival of Races featuring a 15 K run, a 5K run or a 5K walk. Teenagers can participate in volleyball and skateboard tournaments as well as a golf outing, and senior citizens can enter golf or shuffleboard tournaments, bowl, and attend a golf clinic. Children ages three to six can race their Big Wheels at the Preferred Outlet Center on U.S. 31 South and children ages five to 10 can enter the Bicycle Rodeo. A diaper derby and toddler trot are held at F & M Park at Railroad and Washington Streets.

3. Enjoy the many food choices. Besides the Open Space Park food booths, cherry contests, ice cream socials and Johnsonville Brats tent, you can enjoy Cherries D'Vine gourmet grilled food and local wines at Northwestern Michigan College or attend the Cherries Grand Buffet luncheon featuring local dishes and entertainment in the City Opera House. There's a Very Cherry Distinguished Senior Breakfast at the Traverse City Elks Lodge at 625 Bay Street to announce the year's Distinguished Senior, and an intergenerational picnic is held at Grand Traverse Pavilions. The Heritage Day Old-Fashioned Picnic features a tug-o-war, potato sack and cherries on a spoon races, stories from the past, northern Michigan's logging history and the Gracie L boat.

4. Buy one $10 Bay Side V-Pass to attend all the concerts at the Bay Side Entertainment Stage through the week. Entertainment begins at 1 p.m. and runs through 11 p.m. Headline performances start at 9 p.m. Bay Side Entertainment Stage is also the site of the Cherry Idol competition. For other musical events, attend the Cherryland Band Classics Mid-American Competing Band Directors Association Championships at Thirlby Field at Running Wise Stadium on 13th Street. High school marching bands from the Midwest and Canada compete, and you can call [phone] for tickets. See the Grand Traverse Band Pow Wow celebrating Native American heritage and listen to the NMC Community Band at the Traverse City Senior Center at 801 E. Front Street.

5. Take a tour of downtown Traverse City's historical sites ending at the Mercado in Grand Traverse Commons for wine tasting. Call [phone] for more information. Catch a shuttle bus from Traverse City's Visitor Center on Garland Street to the Cherry Connection, a 100-acre research farm with orchard tours, exhibits and samples of new cherry products, experiments and poster coloring contests for children, and a petting zoo.

6. Bring a camera and attend all the featured events. The Festival Air Show, The Cherry Royale Parade, the Junior Royale Parade, kiteboarding demonstrations, a car show and car cruise, and the arts and crafts fair are very popular highlights. There is a Royal Pageant of Fashion and Lunch featuring the latest fashions modeled the the National Cherry Queen and her court at Park Place Hotel and the Queen's Coronation Ball and Royal Gala is at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa at 6300 US Hwy 31 North. Visit the midway daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for fun rides and carnival attractions. Participate in Bingo, which is available from noon to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the corner of Grand View Parkway and Marina Drive. See the Cherryland Historical Film about Traverse City's efforts to bring prosperity to the town by turning a religious ceremony into a Festival that made it appealing and welcoming to outsiders. Children can attend cartoon classics films and there's a movie night for teens. Don't miss the fireworks finale over West Grand Traverse Bay.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a schedule of events ahead of time so you can plan what events you'll attend so you don't miss anything that interests you.

• Be aware that some events may be postponed or canceled, depending on the weather.

Resources

• Traverse City Cherry Festival website