Darcie MoranDetroit Free Press
The time is ripe for a refreshing bite of summer at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City.
The beloved Up North city is expected to be bursting with flavorful fruits and visitors as the annual festival kicks off this weekend.
Whether you plan to go or are just curious what the fuss is about, here’s what to know:
When and where is the National Cherry Festival?
The festival runs Saturday, June 29, to Saturday, July 6, although there’s a free chance Friday night to view aircrafts and meet pilots for the festival’s airshow.
Many events take place at Open Space Park, near Union Street and Grandview Parkway in Traverse City, but events are spread across the area. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard Open Ramp on Friday takes place at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City. It’s best to check out the festival website event calendar at cherryfestival.org for specific event details.
The Open Space festival area is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily while the midway is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the festival website.
What does it cost?
It depends on what you do.
A lot of festival activities are free, including the open ramp, an air show on Saturday and Sunday, and a tour of the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park. Others such at Zumba simply require registration. Some activities including beach volleyball and some musical acts do cost money. Check out the festival’s full event schedule for clarification.
What’s there to do at the National Cherry Festival?
As it’s been alluded to, there’s a lot. That includes a kids camp, a pet show, a bubble gum blowing contest, parades on both July 4 and July 6, fireworks, a competition for “dog athletes,” a pie eating contest and a“flying pancake” breakfast.
There’s also a beer tent, a pit spitting contest, yoga, pickleball, golf, races, a Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Pow Wow, an arts and crafts fair, farmers markets, a classic car show, the coronation of a National Cherry Queen and more.
Kat Paye, festival executive director, has been volunteering since she was 8 years old and enjoys the parades.
She noted the Consumers Energy Community Royale Parade, which includes an ode to the heritage of the area, “is a fantastic rolling storybook of the community.”
And of course, there are multiple concerts.
Why isn’t the rapper T.I. performing anymore at the National Cherry Festival?
Just two weeks before the festival, headliner T.I. backed out of a planned June 30 performance and the festival said it would refund tickets.
T.I. learned his daughter was performing and being honored at the BET Awards the night he was slated to go on, Seth Cohen of Pyramid Entertainment Group said in festival news release.
“Like any proud parent, T.I. believes he must support his daughter’s achievements and be present during the event,” Cohen said in the release.
T.I. is now expected in 2025.
Who is performing at the National Cherry Festival?
Still on the lineup are musicians Bret Michaels, the Goo Goo Dolls, country crooner Dylan Scott, Michigan natives The Accidentals and Joshua Davis, the Traverse City Philharmonic and Stone Temple Pilots. Comedians Leanne Morgan and Gabriel 'Fluffy' Iglesias are also slated to perform.
Taking T.I.’s June 30 spot is a free concert with tribute bands Fresh Horses, which pays homage to Garth Brooks, andThe Insiders: A Tribute to Tom Petty.
What happened with the airshow at the National Cherry Festival?
There was push and pull between festival organizers and the Northwest Regional Airport Authority, which operates the Cherry Capital Airport that made it initially unclear if the airshow with an appearance by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels would take place in 2024 and the next twoyears.
A schedule got worked out that worked for everyone, said Paye.
Those hoping to see the expert military pilots at the festival will want to check out the airshow this year. The festival is not on the schedule for the Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds in 2025, though organizers are hopeful to be selected the following year.
The airshow takes place Saturday, June 29, and Sunday, June 30, from 1-4 p.m.
How busy is the National Cherry Festival expected to be?
The festival reports an annual attendance of more than 500,000 people over eight days.
How to get around Traverse City
Paye recommends parking at your place of lodging and using the festival and city transportation options. There are parking lots but there is also bike valet and the Bayline bus which runs every 18-20 minutes.There’s also a shuttle for the Orchard Tour & More event.
What’s the weather supposed to be?
The event is a “rain or shine festival,” Paye said. Should the weather get more aggressive than rain, any postponements or cancellations would be game-time decisions.
Currently, meteorologist in the region are keeping an eye on Friday night and afternoon.
“It looks like right now we’re expecting activity — some rain and rumbles of thunder,” said Faith Fredrickson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gaylord.
The service only forecasts to about Wednesday of next week, and while there is some rain possible things looked pretty quiet going into the Fourth of July, Fredrickson said. There’s some possible activity — maybe rain or storms — thereafter that meteorologists are watching, but it’s too early to say.
Fredrickson urged attendees to stay on top of the latest forecast, “especially this time of year when things can change pretty quickly.”
As for the temperature, degree highs will range from the 60s to the 80s depending on the day as “pretty generic summer weather.”
Can I eat cherries at the National Cherry Festival?
In just about any form you can think of, it seems. The cherry beef jerky is the option that still surprises executive director Paye.
There are also fresh cherries, cherry cheese, cherry chocolate, cherry pie, cherry margaritas and more.
Can I pick cherries during the National Cherry Festival?
The festival grounds themselves don’t have u-pick cherry trees — only pre-plucked cherries but there are orchards in the region. The festival provides a list of some options on its website.
Why cherries for the Traverse City festival?
Michigan is a big and longtime cherry producer thanks to Lake Michigan, which moderates the climate.
Cherry production here dates back to the mid-1800s and the Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, according to the festival website. Commercial tart cherry orchards in the state date back to 1893 and about 1910, cherry growers in the area began to hold informal, annual “blessing of the blossoms” ceremonies.
Michigan is expected to produce more than 80% of all tart cherries in the U.S. this year, based on forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agricultural Statistics Service Great Lakes Region.
How is the cherry harvest this year?
Michigan’s cherry harvests have taken serious hits as a result of climate change.
That said, 2024 tart cherry total production was forecasted as of June 12 to be 37% higher than 2023 production, according to the USDA.
There have been no major freeze events, which has helped, said Nikki Rothwell, Michigan State University Extension specialist and coordinator of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center.
“The crop size is good, but rain and heat could bring disease issues and so growers are just trying to stay on top of it,” she said. “Growers are optimistic.”
Sweet cherry picking is expected late this week and next week, so there will be local options for the festival, she said.
Tart cherries come later in the season so depending on the vendor, tart cherry selections — which are often used in baking — may be from growers 2023 season, Paye said.
How much money does the National Cherry Festival bring to the region?
Nonlocals who visited purely for the festival and no other reason spent $19.3 million in 2022, according to a Grand Valley State University study that year. Their total economic impact was estimated at $25.7 million and they generated about $143,970 in additional tax revenue for Grand Traverse County.
The total economic impact of everyone who came to Traverse City purely for the festival along with festival operational spending was $33.4 million in output, supporting 323 jobs, the study found.
