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National Cherry Festival Cherry Royale Parade Brings Fun For Everyone Participating

It’s the final day of the 91st Annual National Cherry Festival and what better way to celebrate it than with a parade.

Floats, performers, marching bands come from all across the country to walk through downtown Traverse City in the DTE Energy Foundation Cherry Royale Parade.

9&10’s Megan Woods was there and explains why so many come to take part in this tradition.

Melissa Gustincic is from Midland and her daughter is performing in the parade, she says, “A friend of mine came down here 6 o’clock this morning to get spots.”

The streets of downtown Traverse City filled with people experiencing the Cherry Royale Parade.

An unforgettable time whether you’re cherry royalty or part of the crowd.

Jennifer Marsh the 2016 Northwestern Michigan Fair Queen says, “Its super fun being up there seeing everyone and waving, my smile is just huge the whole time because all these little kids are like hi, hi and you’re just waving at them, I can do this all day long.”

Gustincic says, “We are here to watch my older daughter march for the Bullock Creek Lancer Marching Band. We’re excited for the bands, but it’s just incredible to see them come from so far away my daughter met some girls whose sibling was in a band from Wisconsin.”

For many, the best part is simply being together with family.

The man escorting the 2016 Northwestern Michigan Fair Queen Dan Hubbell of Rice Crook Farms says, “It’s a family thing to get all the animals ready, it’s a family thing to do the things we’ve been doing for a long time. As I said my oldest granddaughter spent a week at the farm helping me get ready. I don’t know how I would have gotten ready without all their help.”

Queen Marsh says, “I always go down with my family, my friends, see the children’s parade which is my favorite, so actually being in the parade this year has been so much fun because I actually get to see it from a different side.”

The family fun is why many like the Gustincic family, are adding the National Cherry Festival and the Cherry Royale Parade to summer traditions.

Gustincic says, “It has become something special I’m so impressed how it’s truly a family event and it’s definitely something we’ll come back to and spend more time at.”

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