TRAVERSE CITY -- Movies and popcorn go together like Thelma and Louise, Bill and Ted, and Lady and the Tramp.
And the 5th annual Traverse City Film Festival wouldn't be complete without quintessential movie foods such as popcorn, pop and candy. Throw in cherries, sandwiches and desserts made by local businesses, and festival-goers can have it all -- dinner and a movie.
"I just had a sandwich from (a) cafe that I didn't even know was there," said Traverse City resident Judy VanDeWeghe, after tasting fare from Centre Street Cafe. "It was excellent, a very nicely put-together wrap."
VanDeWeghe moved to town two years ago and has attended the Film Festival both years, this time as a concessions volunteer at the City Opera House.
"My husband and I took the cart outside last night with popcorn and water," VanDeWeghe said. "Many people were impressed with the selection they could get inside. It was a nice premiere."
Sandwiches from Cook's House, Mustard's and Centre Street Cafe are available at all five indoor venues, as well as the Open Space. Also available are two-bite bakery treats from Morsels, and Traverse City Film Festival Mix from Cherry Stop.
"It's caramel corn, peanuts, dried cherries and chocolate covered dried cherries," said Jamie Roster, owner of the Cherry Stop. "It's the popcorn and movie idea with a cherry spin and a little bit of chocolate."
Cherry Stop owners decided to add a companion to their Cherry Festival mix when the Film Festival came to town. The newer offering is a salty-sweet concoction that was included in VIP gift baskets during the first film festival and has become a snack-worthy staple.
Also available to patrons is Williamsburg-brewed Northwoods Soda. The City Opera House has four flavors on tap, including Wild Bill's Root Beer, a flavor also offered year-round at the State Theatre.
"We make our product for the Film Festival and the State Theatre with Michigan beet sugar," said David Fosdick, director of operations for Northwoods Soda. "No other soft drink company does that."
But popcorn remains the undisputed star of the show.
Film festival popcorn is popped in coconut oil, which is natural and has no trans fat. To protect the historic movie venues, the popcorn also is void of butter and heavily relies on the oil's flavor.
"I've been in the State Theatre and they have excellent popcorn," said Wayne Rowe, of Norman, Okla., as he waited to see a film at the City Opera House on Wednesday. "I'm sure this is the same, and it's outstanding."
Rowe, who summers in Fife Lake, planned to see seven movies at this year's Festival.
At the Open Space alone, organizers plan to sell approximately 20 sandwiches and 1,000 boxes of popcorn each night.
"By 8 p.m. we have 500 boxesx made," said Bette Killian, Open Space sales manager. "Between 8 and 10 p.m., we go through 500 more, and all of them have to be folded and filled."
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