Fifth-generation Suttons Bay farmer Erin Eckerle wasn’t named Cherry Queen 2024 at the National Cherry Festival last week, but she loved every minute of the cherry experience.
“It was a crazy experience. They had us up usually at 6 a.m. every day. Depending on the day, we were doing activities until 10 p.m. ... we had to attend almost every event from the National Cherry Festival,” Eckerle said. “We’d go to all the children’s events. We’d go hang out in the open space when there wasn’t a current event going on. We went to the amusement park and got to ride some of the rides. We participated in the pie-eating contest and the pit-spitting contest.”
Eckerle, 24, grew up in Suttons Bay, graduated from Petoskey High School, and returned to the area after college. Eckerle is a local dentist assistant in Suttons Bay. Erin is the daughter of Brian Eckerle and works for her uncles Kirk and Jim Eckerle. Eckerle made it through the initial round of 14 people to the final four.
“This was something I’d wanted to do for four years, so to finally do it and to be selected and be one of the finalists was very cool,” Eckerle said. “There’s no better way to experience Cherry Fest... you are front and center and you’re also a role model for so many children and adults there. The little kids, especially in the parades, see you smiling and waving. When you catch their eye, they just light up. It’s so sweet.”
Eckerle is busy in the orchard harvesting maraschinos and dark sweets.
“Harvest is some of the funnest work that you’ll do on the farm just because everybody’s together out there, and you’re all working hard and everybody makes fun out of it,” she said. “Knowing that all that hard work and everything you’ve sprayed for is finally getting off the tree and you’re gonna see some return from it.”
