Traverse City News and Events

Downtown TC Businesses Weigh In On Cherry Festival

Sept. 18, 2014

A survey of downtown Traverse City retailers and restaurateurs shows strong support for the National Cherry Festival – but also support to shorten and move the storied event to a later date.

The Traverse City Commission will hear about the Cherry Fest from all comers at its Monday 7pm study session. They will consider several changes, including the festival length and amount of time NCF occupies the Open Space; separating the event from the Fourth of July in 2017 and beyond (NCF already has the holiday booked in 2015-16); raising the reimbursement cap of the city's incremental costs; and ceasing exempting NCF and the Traverse City Film Festival from the city's parks policy.

The Ticker conducted a survey of downtown businesses over the past week; it is unscientific, though 83 stores and eateries – representing a majority of businesses along Front, Park, Cass, and Union Streets -- participated. All responses were kept anonymous to encourage participation and candor.

Fully 82 percent of respondents said they believe the 88-year-old festival is good for downtown business, with one retailer noting, “it’s our biggest sales week of the year,” and another adding it is “fun and a great moneymaker!”

Many of those same respondents, however, said they would support moving the festival to later in July. 55 percent of survey participants said they would support such a move. One business owner noted, “It’s good for business, but putting it away from the Fourth would spread out business for the downtown.”

Survey participants were also asked to compare the National Cherry Festival to the Traverse City Film Festival in terms of how each contributes to downtown business. When asked if the Cherry Festival “is better for downtown business than the Traverse City Film Festival,” 27 percent said yes.

Respondents also weighed in on the length of the festival; 52 percent said they would prefer a festival shorter than the current eight days.

In response to the findings, Cherry Festival Executive Director Trevor Tkach says, “I’m pleased that that many people took the time to fill out the survey. It’s important that people engage in the conversation.”

When asked if he’d support a date change for the festival, Tkach says, “We have to take a lot of things into consideration...the synergy with fundraising for the fireworks, the fact that we’d never see the Blue Angels again in this town again…conflicts with other communities’ events,” adding that “Thirty years ago the city asked the Cherry Festival to set a strategy for dates, and that strategy was to start the first Saturday in July.”

“Personally I’m compelled to stay [on the current schedule],” he says.

Many downtown business owners also commented on what they see as a disconnect between the Cherry Festival’s audience and the reputation downtown has been attempting to cultivate in recent years. “I think Front Street’s demographics have moved and the Cherry Festival’s have stayed where they are. Downtown is upscale and boutique and that’s our demographic now – I’m not sure it’s the Cherry Fest’s,” commented one respondent. Another said, “I believe they need to reinvent the entire event.”

[Many of the respondents provided lengthy comments and feedback on the Cherry Festival. View them all here]

Tkach says “They’re all entitled to their opinions. But a half a million people showed up this year, and that’s not all bad. A rising tide lifts all ships.”

“This definitely is a matter of collecting feedback, analyzing, and working with our stakeholders,” he continues. “Whatever happens will be great. I just want the festival to be the best festival it can be. Quality is very important to us.”
 

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