Traverse City Record-Eagle

2011 Cherry Festival

Related Photos

  • Spectators take in the Old Town Classic Car Show. Special to the Record-Eagle/Holly Brosier

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  • Glenn VanRiper, of Traverse City, speaks with Tom Osborne, of Kawkawlin, at the Arts and Crafts Fair on Union Street, Sunday, at the National Cherry Festival. Special to the Record-Eagle/Holly Brosier

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  • The all-volunteer Northeast Raiders Demo Team flies over the Arnold Amusements Midway during Sunday's air show at the National Cherry Festival. Special to the Record-Eagle/Holly Brosier

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  • Deputies patrol West Grand Traverse Bay during the air show. Submit your photo at www.record-eagle.com/cherryfest for a chance to win Beach Bums tickets. Special to the Record-Eagle/Richard Smirh

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July 4, 2011

Craft fair, autos draw thousands

Sun shines down on artists and car enthusiasts

by Lisa Perkins lperkins@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Sporting a cherry tattoo on her cheek and a hat rimmed with her favorite fruit, former Traverse City resident Judy Johnson says she never misses the National Cherry Festival.

Now living in Grand Rapids, Johnson brought along first time festival-goer Eliza Chakma to spend the week taking in the sites of northern Michigan and Cherry Festival highlights.

"The first thing we did when we got here was head straight for the cherries and the arts and crafts are a must see for me," said Johnson, who after 18 years of volunteering for the event is happy to be a tourist.

Johnson and Chakma were among thousands who enjoyed a sunny afternoon browsing through more than 100 booths featuring the wares of artists from across the Midwest during the annual Arts and Crafts Fair on Union Street.

"This has been a great year so far," said photographer Jenny McKellar, of Traverse City, who sells prints of local interest, including cherry orchards, beaches, sunsets and downtown Traverse City.

"A lot of people are buying a photo of something they recognize, a place that they have been and want to take home a memory of," McKellar said.

Entries in the Old Town Classic Car Show, like the turquoise and colonial white 1959 Ford Fairlane with matching Shasta camper, brought back some childhood memories for Fred Hofstra, of Traverse City.

"When we were kids we had one that was very similar to this," said Hofstra, recalling a trip the family of five took from Michigan to California in the late '50s.

"Dad did a good job of fitting us all in there, including me. I slept on a hammock," said Hofstra, pointing out where his father would have hung the makeshift bed in their late '50s model Avalon camper.

Crowd favorites also included the Best in Show winning '56 Pontiac Star Chief owned by Tom Brown, of Traverse City, and the Queen's Favorite 1934 Ford, owned by Mike Manning, of Beulah.

"We had 250 great vehicles here this year and couldn't have pulled the show off without the involvement of three local car clubs," said event director Bob DeKorne.

In addition to the logistical help the Twin Bay British Car Club, Cherry Bowl Cruisers and the Great Lakes Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America provided, one member also entered a favorite personal pick of DeKorne's, a 1948 Indian Chief motorcycle owned by Jim Godo, of Traverse City.

"It is a beautiful bike, it got a lot of attention," DeKorne said.

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

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