Leelanau County will make a significant contribution to the National Cherry Festival, which will be celebrated in Traverse City July 7-14.

In addition to hosting events, Leelanau-grown cherries will be available.

There’s also the July 14 fireworks show that caps off the festival with the pyrotechnics display being launched from a barge off Elmwood Township.
Leelanau County is home to two of the Cherry Festival’s top officials.

Chuck O’Connor of Suttons Bay is the festival Director of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships. He has been involved in the festival for 15 years, and has two sons who have worked in the cherry industry each summer.

Susan Wilcox-Olson, also of Suttons Bay, has been the festival’s longtime public relations director.

New to the county this year is a bike tour planned for Tuesday, July 10. The Cherry Capital Cycling Club is inviting the public to take part in the Cherry TART Tour, which is organizing tour stops at the DeYoung Natural Area located off Cherry Bend Road, and Lakeview Hills Road. Both stops are in Elmwood Township. Organizers said the goal is to expose more people to Leelanau County.

Leelanau County will also play host to a 4-H event called “Cherry Connection,” at which visitors can learn about cherry farming, tree grafting and what it takes to be a successful grower. Participants can taste cherry products from Leelanau County, and take part in a petting zoo with local farm animals.

Cherry Connection will take place at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in Bingham Township on County Road 633 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 9-14. For more information, call MSU Extension at 256-9888.

During the fireworks show over West Bay on July 14, both Leelanau and Grand Traverse marine patrol departments will play a role in promoting safety.

Kate McCarty