TRAVERSE CITY -- Jack Sorter is a pilot, and he's been to his fair share of air shows.
The Waterford resident has seen all the major fliers and acts so he shrugged off the fact that the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels flight team won't headline this year's National Cherry Festival.
"We want to see the fireworks (tonight)," Sorter said. "We've seen the Blue Angels a lot."
The Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration squad, appear at the cherry festival every other, even-numbered year. This year's air show will be from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. both today and Sunday and features the Trojan Horsemen, a six-aircraft team that performs across the country.
"(Blue Angels) do not appear in the same location back-to-back years," said cherry festival spokeswoman Susan Wilcox Olson. "We have an awesome track record with them, which enables us to be granted more often than anyone else in the country."
Cherry festival officials acknowledge they see smaller crowds in the years without the Blue Angels, but they believe good weather and the holiday weekend will help.
"It's important to stay fresh," Wilcox Olson said. "The acts that you see in the air show this year, the Trojan Horsemen have never appeared here."
Many festival-goers said they attend the cherry festival for a variety of reasons, not just the air show.
"(Blue Angels) are not the principle reason we come," said Jack Hagedorn, of Rockford. "We come for the atmosphere."
Besides the Trojan Horsemen, this year's air show will feature an F-18, the same jet flown by the Blue Angels; an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt; and a P-51 Mustang.
"The venue, given that it's over water, it's very interesting and also a challenge," said CC Gerner, who will fly a 300L bi-plane in an aerobatic routine. "The Cherry Festival is so well-known throughout the Midwest. I'm just looking forward to the festivities and I love the downtown area."
Downtown business owners said they notice the difference when the Navy fliers aren't in town.
"In Blue Angels years, it's really good," said Brian Daily, owner of Kilwin's Chocolate Shoppe. "In non-Blue Angels years, it's just good."
This year's air show promises to include a lot of smoke and lots of noise.
"I think there's enough amazing air show acts to fill in on off years," said Jennifer Parlette, the festival's operations and volunteer manager. "This year's is jam-packed. It's going to be a wonderful air show."
Today's forecast calls for partly sunny skies with temperatures in the mid-70s and light winds. Sunday includes slightly warmer temperatures and less wind.
National Cherry Festival Schedule
Today:
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Million Dollar Hole in One Golf Contest, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Two-Person Beach Volleyball Tournament, West End Park beach volleyball courts
10 a.m. - Kid's Festival Matinee, State Theatre
10 a.m. to noon - Big Wheel Race, Preferred Outlet Center, U.S. 31
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Grand Traverse Pie Make and Bake, Open Space
10 a.m. to 11 p.m. - Festival Open Space Park and Souvenir Tent, Open Space
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. - Arnold Amusement Midway, Grandview Parkway at Union Street
Noon to 11 p.m. - Beer Tent, Open Space
12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Flight Deck Open - Air Show Special Seating, Open Space upper deck
1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Festival Air Show, Open Space
3 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Bingo, Open Space Park East Grandview Parkway at Marina Drive
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Cherry Pit Spit Contest, Open Space
6 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Bay Side Music Stage open, Open Space
8 p.m. to 11 p.m. - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Concert, Bay Side Music Stage - Open Space
10:30 p.m. - Veteran's Firework Show, Open Space
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