TRAVERSE CITY -- A slew of new venues, events, and products will be on display at the 83rd National Cherry Festival, which gets under way on Saturday.
A new Heroes Day event on Monday will celebrate veterans, firefighters, first responders, public safety and homeland security personnel, with an expo at the Open Space to include vintage rescue vehicles and local mascots.
"We're setting up a booth on Heroes Day to let people know what we do as far as special fundraisers for other people," said Doug Jordan, Quarter Master for Cherryland VFW post.
The day will conclude with a patriotic 'Salute to Heroes' concert at the Bay Side Music Stage.
Also new this year is the Global Wine Pavilion, open July 9th through 11th. Housed at the former Clinch Park Zoo, the Wine Pavilion will feature wines of all varieties and price ranges, as well as food prepared by employees at local restaurants Red Ginger, The Cook's House, Trattoria Stella and Amical.
"There's over 100 wines selected that will be available those three days," said Susan Wilcox Olson, a festival spokeswoman.
Sleeping Bear Gourmet is another new entry to the Open Space. The gourmet tent is to include products from Stone House Bread, Naturally Nutty, Higher Grounds coffee, Light of Day Organics and Food for Thought.
"This is the first time they've had organic, gourmet foods at the Cherry Festival. We're not just organic, but local," said Melissa Ewing, of Sleeping Bear Gourmet.
The tent's menu items range from gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to baguettes with feta and chips and salsa, hand-peeled applesauce, and cherry-infused teas. Prices range from $3 to $6.
Food Network's Ellie Krieger, host of Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger, will be in the Cherry Royale parade on July 11.
And the region's signature fruit will be in ample supply in pie form.
"It's my favorite pie. It is incredible," said Tim Hinkley, the festival's executive director. "All of the ingredients are from Michigan; what better representation of the National Cherry Festival?"
Grand Traverse Pie Company's Cherry Crumb pie will be the festival's signature pie, said Mike Busley, Grand Traverse Pie Company owner. "It originated in 1997, a year after we opened, by my mom."
"We're also going to be serving a cherry pie smoothie. Basically, take a half-slice of Cherry Crumb Pie and put it in our smoothie machine. So people can actually drink the pie, as well," he said.
Two new products from Brownwood Farms include "Cherrysauce," used like applesauce, said Jeff Hughes, president of Brownwood Farms. Simply Cherries is a dessert topping that can be used over ice cream, cheesecake, or cream cheese, he said.
"No spices to it. A little bit of sugar, two different types of cherries, and lemon juice. That's it," Hughes said.
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