This is the most amazing town.  Days before the Firemen’s Cherry Festival parade, thousands of plastic and folding chairs line Main and Lake Streets. The first time I saw this, I was astonished that people didn’t steal other folks’ chairs, but they don’t.  It is almost a code of honor.

Actually, the Cherry Festival is that great even that marks the middle of summer and warns all school aged children that there are six weeks left of summer vacation.  It also helps the local economy as people flood into town to ride the carnival rides, eat cotton candy, the BEST OX ROAST sandwiches ever and fresh curly fries that cannot be beat anywhere.

The parade is the best – two hours of nonstop noise fun and summer sun. Rain has never stopped the parade and there have been very few parades that have felt the rain, so the firemen KNOW the right days to hold the festival.

One of the hard things to do during the Cherry Fest is to drive through town because there are people, babies in strollers, kids on bikes and families everywhere.  So park your car and walk because that is the fastest way to get to the carnival.  Yes, very little off street parking and usually youth groups sponsor a parking space for a small fee.

The festival also boasts the best pies made by the great folks at First Presbyterian Church.  Worth every cent!

So, pull up a chair and ENJOY the festival.