TRAVERSE CITY -- The National Cherry Festival touts itself as a destination for people of all ages, and plenty of folks jumped in on the action.
A long list of senior entertainment slated for the upcoming days began with a Very Cherry Distinguished Senior breakfast at the Traverse City Elks Lodge on Monday, and included the naming of the Rev. Edwin Thome as the Distinguished Senior of this year's Cherry Festival.
Thome is pastor at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mapleton, and recently retired from the Father Fred Foundation in Traverse City.
"I think it's a terrific way to start off the week," said Susan Seyre, waiting in the buffet line. "Everybody's enjoying it and having a good time."
Seyre recently moved to Traverse City from Ann Arbor and said she's impressed with the Cherry Festival.
"It just has a wonderful focus for an area that happens to grow cherries," Seyre said.
Patti DeAgostino, event coordinator, said the breakfast was especially important in light of Monday being Heroes Day, a day in which the festival honored active military personnel and veterans, as well as emergency and first responder personnel.
"It's quite fitting because for all their families, churches, and community organizations, these people are heroes," DeAgostino said.
Across town, F&M Park was littered with families spreading blankets and enjoying the sun, and their children competed in a bubble gum-blowing competition and turtle races throughout the day.
"It is cool that we get to race with these animals," said Jackson Gray, 12, after his painted turtle's first place finish in the 17th heat. "I made my hands hit the board so he'd feel them and go faster. It's so much fun."
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