Traverse City Record-Eagle

2011 Cherry Festival

Related Photos

  • Boaters and beach goers crowd West End Beach during the 2011 National Cherry Festival. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

    CSSA9EE.jpg

  • Crowds of people cross Front Street at the Union Street intersection during the 2011 National Cherry Festival. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

    CSSA9F3.jpg
July 12, 2011

Attendance strong for 85th Cherry Fest

Concert audiences appear up over last year, Festival of Races as expected

BY JAMES RUSSELL jrussell@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — The crowds dispersed and another successful Cherry Festival is in the history — if not the record — books.

A final visitor tally won't be available for a few days, but judging from vendor and volunteer feedback, the 2011 version was a success, festival Executive Director Tim Hinkley said.

"Traffic was really good for all eight days, but the last four days were bustling," he said. "There were a lot of people from all over ... there was great attendance at concerts — I think that was up over last year — and the Festival of Races was about what we expected."

The Visitor Center at the corner of Grandview Parkway and Union Street was right in the middle of all the action. Manager Kathee McCafferty said more than 14,000 people came in to ask for advice on where to park, stay and eat.

"With the Blue Angels we always have more, but this is real close to the year prior to last," she said.

McCafferty said many visitors were surprised to learn how many dining options are available in the region.

"I have an entire wall stocked with more than 90 menus. People would just stand there like a kid in a candy store," she said.

Visitors didn't have to go far to find something to eat. Across the parkway at the Open Space, area restaurants set up booths to offer dishes to festival-goers.

Sue Willard, owner of Sue's J & S Hamburg Restaurant on South Airport Road, has been selling at the festival for more than 15 years. She said this year wasn't her best.

"We did the same as last year, but that wasn't good either, because last year it was so darn hot after the Blue Angels," Willard said.

She blamed a poor economy and the location of a new music stage in the food court for the lackluster sales.

"People would sit out on all the chairs and watch the entertainment, but just watch, not eat," she said.

Vendors pay more than $5,000 for the opportunity to sell during the festival.

"It's a big investment and it's a crapshoot. You just never know what it's going to be," Willard said.

Hinkley said other vendors reported a slow start to festival week.

"I've heard from the vendors that the first four days were soft, and the last four days were super," he said. "I think honestly we were competing with the Fourth of July. The weather had been so lousy beforehand that people just wanted some sun, they wanted to celebrate and then come down for the festival."

Traverse City resident Peter Garthe was crowned the pin champ for the 19th time, selling more Cherry Festival pins than anyone else.

But even the pin prince had a down year. Garthe sold 3,888 pins — nearly 1,000 fewer than in 2010. He said the $5 cost and rainy weather during early summer's all-important selling season kept numbers down.

The Cherry Festival also had competition from another big event across town. Horse Shows by the Bay held the first two weeks of its five-week competition during the festival, and organizers said they're drawing a record number of participants.

"We're definitely celebrating our biggest event to date," said event founder and owner Alexandra Rheinheimer. "Last weekend was a little quiet, but we attributed it to the wrapping up of the Cherry Festival."

Rheinheimer said they sold out their 1,098 stalls last weekend and for the coming weekend, and about 700 horses will be on-site when the jumping competition continues this week. Family Day is Saturday, and while she hopes to see good turnout, she's more focused on drawing participants to the event.

"We're not spectator-driven, we're participant-driven," she said. "It's something we welcome and really enjoy, but it doesn't make or break the event. Unlike the Cherry Festival, which needs spectators, I need record participant attendance."

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