Traverse City Record-Eagle

2011 Cherry Festival

Related Photos

  • Barley salad was among the offerings at the Cherries Grand Buffet on Friday at the City Opera House. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

    CSS6D92.jpg
July 9, 2011

Cherry treats tempt festival tastebuds

BY ART BUKOWSKI abukowski@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Maria Perez-Bastian appeared to thoroughly enjoy her giant smoked turkey leg, and that's because it was a long time coming.

The turkey leg stand with its big, colorful sign always beckoned to Perez-Bastian as she drove by the National Cherry Festival. This year, the Traverse City resident decided to take action. Accompanied by her daughter Sophie, she bought one of the behemoth chunks of fowl Thursday and settled in for her meal.

"I've been driving by this for I don't know how many years, and never indulged," she said between bites. "We've always got Gibby's fries and other things, but this year I said I'm going to get a jumbo smoked turkey leg and an ear of corn on the cob."

Was it worth the wait?

"It's very good," she said. "I wish I had gotten one sooner."

Visitors and residents alike dove into festival vittles throughout the week. Corn dogs, elephant ears, sausages and other traditional carnival foods are available throughout the midway and "Gibbyville," while several local restaurants and vendors have booths in the Open Space to the west of the festival's main entrance.

Renee Crampton and Lisa Harris, both of Traverse City, decided to try the nacho supreme from Agave Mexican Grill, a local restaurant with a booth in the Open Space. They already had some carnival food, and decided on Thursday to try something else.

"We came for corn dogs and Gibby's fries the other day, my husband and I did," Crampton said. "Out of everything, this looked the best."

Crampton might try a giant turkey leg before the festival wraps, but with a limited appetite for carnival food, she'd rather stick to tried-and-true favorites.

"I worry that it wouldn't live up to a corn dog," she said.

Anna Marten and friends chowed on gyros from U & I Lounge, a Front Street bar well-known for its Greek menu. Marten's group was from Traverse City, and they knew U & I was a solid choice, she said.

"We knew what was good, and we took it," she said.

Hagerty Insurance employees Elsa Frank and Karen Wells tried food from the local vendors.

"I like having a different variety and supporting our local businesses, and this is an opportunity to do that," said Frank, who had nachos from Minerva's.

Local vendors appreciate the support. Bev LeJeune helps out at State Street Grille's booth, and she's seen plenty of locals stop by during lunchtime. It was busy over the weekend, she said, but most of those customers were from out of town.

"Saturday, Sunday, Monday I saw very few people I knew, it was all tourists," she said.

Across the aisle, Dan and Laura Millward enjoyed Italian sausages from a carnival vendor. Food from local restaurants is great, they said, but it's available any time.

"Most of that other stuff I can get any other time of the year," Dan said. "With this, there's only the fair and here. It's just the best."

Perez-Bastian, the first-time turkey-legger, agrees.

"We can get that any time," she said of food from local restaurants. "This kind of stuff is only around during the festival."

Plus, just because it's carnival food doesn't mean it's not local. Fasel Concessions, Arnold Amusements and other companies that offer such foods have local headquarters.

Plenty of people make it a point to get a certain item at least once every year, regardless of where it comes from.

"I'm obsessed with deep-fried pickles," said Traverse City resident Mychelle Mullens, 26. "That sour and salty combination."

Mullens' friend Michael Hine has a particular affinity for corn dogs.

"It's just delicious," he said. "Sweet, crunchy, mustard all over it."

Text Only
Reader Photo of the Day
08reader.jpg

Special to the Record-Eagle/Susan Melton
A National Cherry Festival goer hits new heights at the Open Space.

Find a Business
NEW! Record-Eagle Hot Deals