Cheery Cherry Festivals

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

22 Jun 2006 09:35 AM

I cannot tell a lie... I don't really like cherries. However, I live in a state where besides beer, bratwurst, cheese, and the Green Bay Packers... cherries are a way of life. They are a major Wisconsin commercial export and over the years area residents have found some unique ways to integrate the red fruit into their daily diets (see recipe below). So, I guess it should come as no surprise that each summer (despite the fact that I'm not very fond of the sometimes-sweet-sometimes-tart fruit) our family treks to one of the area's many Cherry Festivals.

Each July the city of Sturtevant, Wisconsin (located just south of Milwaukee), hosts a family-friendly Cherry Festival that features the state's finest fresh cherries. My husband (who happens to love cherries) immediately heads to the Build-Your-Own-Cherry-Cobbler booth, where the cherries are buried under mounds of real Wisconsin whipped cream. Cherry lovers can also enjoy fresh cherry shakes, malts, sundaes, smoothies, pancakes, pies, cakes, cookies, jams, jellies, sauces, and salsas. While my husband is getting his cherry fix I take my daughter on a hayride through the cherry tree orchard. There are also train rides, a kids play area, a farmyard (where kids can feed cherries to animals) craft booths and several areas where kids can create cherry art pieces, using real cherries.

While our local fest is an enjoyable way to spend a summer Saturday, it pales in comparison to what takes place during the first week in July on the other side of Lake Michigan. For seven straight days, Traverse City (the nation's leader in cherry production) hosts the country's largest cherry festival-the "National Cherry Festival." Make no mistake. This is not your run-of-the-mill summer food festival. This is a cherry extravaganza, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area. Besides the cherry pie eating contests, the crowning of the Cherry Festival Queen and her royal court, and hundreds of cherry inspired craft booths; this year's event (in its 80th year) will feature an appearance by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, performing their fast-paced, action-packed aerobatic maneuvers.

Festival-goers will also have a chance to make history by taking part in an attempt to set the record for the World's Largest Cherry Pancake Breakfast. Organizers are preparing to serve up more than 9,000 pancakes topped with a heaping helping of cherries. The Cherry Festival will also be the site of the official unveiling of "CHERRYOPOLY," a game based the classic Monopoly board game. However, instead of properties like Broadway and Marvin Gardens, it features cherry and regional based entities like Cherry Marketing Institute and the National Cherry Festival. There is also a Cherry Teddy Bear Tea for kids who can't leave home without their furry companions, a cherry parade, cherry jugglers, live music, and of course, hundreds of booths serving the red fruit in every imaginable dish known to man.

Including this simple recipe for Cherry Salsa:

4 cups cherries, stemmed, pitted, and chopped 8 green onions, chopped 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a medium-mixing bowl until well combined. Serve with your favorite chips. Enjoy!

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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