Cherries Jubilee

Concerts, Air Shows, Cherry Desserts, Wine Tasting, and More Highlight Festival Fun in Traverse City July 4-11

By Bill Semion

Cherry red is the color of fun this time of year as Traverse City and environs celebrate the region’s tart cherry crop--largest in the country--with the annual National Cherry Festival, and this year’s 83^rd edition promises to be better than ever, with a hint of green thrown in.

Festival events are centered along Grand Traverse Bay downtown in Festival Open Space Park. Here’s a look at just some of the shows and activities taking place over the course of the event, many of which are free.

Cherries Jubilee—In The Air

Big air shows have been a mainstay of recent cherry fests, and this one’s no different.

On July 4^th and 5^th at approximately 12:30 p.m., gather at the beach of West Grand Traverse Bay to watch several acts. The T-28 Warbird Formation Demonstration Team, the Trojan horseman, perform a stirring patriotic tribune to the armed forces complete with music and narration. These six propeller-driven planes used as trainers for years will thrill the crowds with their aerobatics and smoke. Also taking to the skies is female aerobatic pilot Christine “CC” Gerner in an Extra 300L, and Billy Werth of Grayout Aerosports in a craft aptly named for the festival, a Pitts S2C.

Also making an appearance of a Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Other military craft are expected to also participate in the July4th show over the bay, and the Coast Guard will perform a Search and Rescue demo just yards offshore from the Festival Open Space.

Cherries Jubilee—Parades

When the DTE Energy Cherry Royale Parade steps off at 11:15 a.m. on July 11, going green will be the theme. A new award presented to the most environmentally conscious float, best use of recycled materials, natural building materials and promotion of a “green” message.

Cherries Jubilee—Music

There are eight days to the festival and music will be filling each. Kicking off the fun on Saturday, July 4, will be blues guitarist and vocalist Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

On July 5, the fun’s provided by northern Michigan’s own Twisted Finster, belting out rock ‘n roll standards of the last three decades. Monday, the Northwestern Michigan College Community Band takes the stage in a patriotic pops concert.

Tuesday, July 7, 80s rocker Billy Squier shows up. On Wednesday, July 8, back by popular demand is 1964 The Tribute, plays Beatles favorites. Country star Sammy Kershaw takes the stage on Friday, July 10, and the grand finale on Saturday, July 11, is presented by THINK Floyd USA, a tribute to Pink Floyd, featuring classic material from the band’s beginnings to the present, topped off by the Festival Fireworks Finale.

A $15 V-Pass will get you in to all eight evenings and will get you in for first access to the seating at Bay Side Music Stage. Single night tickets may also be available, but this is a cheap way to guarantee your seat.

Cherries Jubilee--Food

Cherries are everywhere, and in everything, of course, over the run of the show, and this year two official products of the Cherry Festival, Simply Cherries,” combining tart and sheet varieties, into a topping for pancakes, cherry pie, smoothies, or desserts.

The other product, Cherry Sauce, pairs sweet apples with tart cherries to make another topping. They’ll be available both through stores and at the Cherry Farm Market Tent in the Festival.

Foodies also will relish the return of two food festivals mixed with plenty of cherries.

The fourth annual Cherries D’Vine event showcases cherries and grapes blended with the best of local agriculture. Cherry Barbecue creations prepared by apprentice chefs at the Great lakes Culinary Institute will be plated on Sunday, July 5, starting at noon, in time for the Festival Air Show over West Grand Traverse Bay (see below). The $15 cost includes three food tickets, one wine tasting and another wine glass for the first 750 attendees.

Then, line up for the Cherries Grand Buffet at the historic city Opera House downtown. Three seatings on Friday, July 10 will take place, at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. They’re limited to 200 each and will cost $25, so get your tickets early.

Cherries Jubilee—Tours and Contests

The focus on food continues with the focus on cherries, of course. Pie eating enthusiasts are invited to sit down and open wide for pie eating contests sponsored by Sara Lee. Children’s contests take place at F&M Park from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, July 6, 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, and at 1 on Thursday, July 9. Adult contests take place at the Festival Open Space at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 4, Monday, July 6, Wednesday, July 8, and Friday, July 10.

Now, what to do with the leftover pits? A Pit Spit contest, of course. Spitters can demonstrate their skills four times, starting at 6 p.m. on July 4, 6, 7 and 8 at the Festival Open Space, with both novice and expert categories.

Cherries Jubilee-Wine

For the first time, it won’t be just cherry wine being uncorked at the Cherry Festival. A ‘Global Wine Pavilion featuring more than 90 wines from around the world picked by Master Sommelier Ron Edwards of Petoskey, formerly of Tapawingo.

Local, domestic and international wines covering all varieties and prices will be available for testing and tasting from July 9-11. Besides the wine tasting, those paying the nominal $10 entry fee also will get a free pour of the night’s featured wine, plus a crystal wine glass by Stolzle, recognized as Europe’s leading designer of

Stemware.

Cherries Are Green, Too

Of course, lots of trash is generated at an eight-day festival like this one, some 15,000 tons, in fact, so planners have teamed with DTE Energy to recycle compostable materials. And all food court vendors will provide customers with compostable cups and “greenware” instead of plastic. Also focusing on the environment is DTE Energy Green Day, on July 10. It includes a volunteer clean-p of the Boardman River’s banks, starting at 9 a.m. near Union Street.

Other events also highlight this year’s festival. Heritage Day, sponsored by Turtle Creek Casino, celebrates native Americas with a Pow Wow dance and other events. There are foot races sponsored by Meijer including a 5K for walkers. There are cherry orchard tours, art shows, beach volleyball tournaments, midway rides for the kids, barbecuing contests, another fireworks show on July 4^th, cycling tours of the Old Mission Peninsula…and on and on.

Come have some fun in the heart of northern Michigan.

When You Go

For more National Cherry Festival information, go to www.cherryfestival.org, or call 231-947-4230.

For general festival and visitor information, visit the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.visittraversecity.com, or by calling 800-TRAVERSE. The CVB also publishes a great informative guide to the city and surrounding area, from campgrounds and beaches, to restaurants and dune rides for the whole family. It’s also free.

For July 9-11 Wine Pavilion tickets, go to cherryfestival.org, or call 231-947-4230, or at the door.

Grayling. Home to two of the Midwest’s top canoeing streams. Grayling. Home to arguably the top freestone trout fishing streams east of the Mississippi. Grayling. Home to a state park that tells the story of the forests that re-built Chicago after the Great Fire. And home to other outdoor fun, from downhill and cross-country skiing in winter, to mountain biking and just kickin’ back in summer.
Is it any wonder that this north central Lower Michigan town, about a five-hour drive from Chicago up U.S. 127 is revered by so many? Here’s some of what this small town has going for it:
Take a canoe trip from several hours to several days on either the Au Sable or Manistee rivers, within a few miles of each other here. Liveries in town will outfit you for day trips, or prepare you for an overnight trek on the Au Sable, up to 150-miles to Lake Huron, or on the Manistee west to Lake Michigan.
Don your waders or hire a guide like retired teacher Bob Andrus for a trip through the famed Holy Waters flies-only stretch of the Au Sable, where the national conservation group Trout Unlimited was conceived, or in the more rustic Manistee, in a historic Au Sable River drift boat (contact him by calling 989-275-2814). He’ll tell you what to use. If you want to wade, get advice on where and what flies to use at Gates Au Sable Lodge, (gateslodge.com) where there are great riverside rooms, a great fly shop and a restaurant.
Or, try the river on your own at one of the many public access sites, some of which also feature rustic state forest campgrounds. The river hosts lots of mayfly species hatching throughout the late-April-through September season.
Six miles north of town, visit 10,000-acre Hartwick Pines State Park (www.michigan.gov/dnr. See how 19th century lumberjacks lived at the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum. The Michigan Forest Visitor Center tells the story of lumber in Michigan’s past and present.
Walk the park’s trails through its redwood-like virgin white pines, with a canopy so thick that little vegetation grows below. Step inside the contemplative Chapel in the Pines and drive the park’s interpretive trail, or pedal its mountain bike trails, open for cross-country skiing in winter. Or, try downhill skiing at Skyline Ski area, or nearby Boyne Mountain (see accompanying story).
Stop at the Grayling Fish Hatchery and walk the 1914-era raceways to see huge trout. Take home a bit of the town from Goodale’s Bakery, home of the best cinnamon bread you’ve ever tasted, and unique English muffin bread, shipped nationwide.
In nearby Roscommon, stop first at the Fifth Street Market (989-275-7300) which has the best wine selection in North Central Lower Michigan. Then choose from several canoe/kayak liveries in town for a float down the Au Sable’s South Branch. Or, don your fly fest and waders and head for this area’s other Nirvana of trout, the 4,500-acre Mason Wilderness Tract, about three miles north of town.
Given to the state by the widow of an auto company magnate, fishing access sites are tucked into the woods along a two-track road here (it’s best to go in with a GPS so you can find your way out again if you’re not with a local) that runs the length of the tract. Expect real wilderness stuff, including a roaming black bear or several, and some say even cougar.
Some of the best brook and brown trout fishing in the eastern U.S. isreaches its height here in June and early July with the “hex hatch,” the appearance of the giant Michigan mayfly, or Hexagenia limbata. These three-in-long mayflies are active at night, bringing out the biggest brown trout in the river to feed with wild abandon as the flies hatch out or blanket the river in a spinner fall.
Don’t let the river fool you by its placid looks on a sunny summer afternoon. The trout know the dinner bell rings evenings that time of year. Earlier in the season—which always starts the last Saturday of April—best action will be in the afternoon on Henrickson mayflies, caddis and stoneflies.
Fly shops in Grayling (oldausable.com), will have information on the progression of hatches.
While you’re waiting on the fish, the river is also a great kayak adventure. You’ll be maneuvering around “sweepers,” skeletons of cedar trees that swoop over the river and up. The Mason Tract hiking and cross-country ski trail also parallels the river for 12 miles. There’s rustic camping at the north end, at Canoe Harbor State Forest Campground.
Nearby, relax during the day at what are considered two of the best inland lake state parks in the state, on Higgins Lake. Families love the Higgins Lake South State Park (michigan.gov/dnr) especially, as it’s knee-deep nearly 700 sandy feet into the water, perfect for keeping an eye on the kids. Higgins Lake is so impressive, it was named the world's sixth most beautiful by National Geographic.

When You Go
Closest major Michigan airports to the Grayling-Roscommon area are in Saginaw, about 90 minutes south, and Traverse City, about 90 minutes northwest. Accommodations include Gates Au Sable Lodge along the river, the Ramada Inn in Grayling, as well as resorts on both Higgins Lake and nearby Houghton Lake.
Contact the Grayling Convention and Visitors bureau for more, at 800-937-8837, or www.grayling-mi.com, for Roscommon, www.hlrcc.com, and for Houghton Lake, www.visithoughtonlake.com. For camping, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr, then to the camping and recreation link. There are private campgrounds in the area as well. Contact the visitor bureaus for lists.