The National Cherry Festival Gears Up For Its 100th Year

The 100th anniversary of the Traverse City Cherry Festival is this year, and as usual, there's plenty planned.

Before the event takes place, the Cherry Festival queen, Ainslee Hewitt, swung by the RIFF to talk about the festival, how she earned the crown, her golf game, the rock band Warrant (sort of), and more.

Watch the video below for our conversation.

It was fun to talk with Ainslee, and Executive Director, Kat Paye. They came by to talk about all the events surrounding the Cherry festival, including performances by Daughtry and others. "So, as you know, we always have a very eclectic lineup, eight nights of entertainment, and we've got some really big shows this year, and we're excited to have them."

Ainslee started her reign as queen last year. "So I was crowned last year on the 4th of July, actually. And then this year is going to be, as the queens say, like, this will be my year for the festival. And then I'll have a court that is selected. So it will be four women. And then they'll come to the Cherry Festival. They'll be secretly judged.
And then one of those four women will get this beautiful crown."

She said she's had an eventful year representing the festival. As far as her favorite thing she experienced? "You know, it's all been pretty amazing. I will have to say, probably going all the way out to California. I never thought, you know, being born and raised in Traverse City, I'm kind of used to that small-town feel. And to know that our industry is being, you know, brought all the way to California, that was really cool. And then to see the Tournament of Roses, be at the Rose Bowl, that was an unlike experience for me."

Big doings are happening in July. See below for more info!