The National Cherry Queen program has been a tradition at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City since the first woman, Gertrude Brown, was crowned in 1925. The festival has upheld its beloved tradition of crowning one accomplished, local young woman for decades, with over 90 people chosen to serve in the role thus far.
The queen serves not only as the ambassador of goodwill for the festival, but also as the representative of the cherry industry and Traverse City area. The scholarship program provides women from across Michigan with the opportunity to earn up to $10,000 while making many memories through valuable experiences and connections that go well beyond the state.
Cindy Pleva Weber was crowned national cherry queen in 1987, and till this day, still works with the program that brought her so many opportunities. Weber said she may have not run in the first place if it were not for a dear friend that encouraged her to apply, adding that the program brings out the best in candidates. Whether an applicant wins the crown or not though, she said a person will gain invaluable experience with interview practice all the while making new friends, with some so excited that they come back the following year to give it another try.
Weber said her ties to the cherry festival goes back to when her father and his business in Cedar, Pleva’s Meats, made a float in the parade every year. The cherry festival was always very exciting for the Pleva family, so when Cindy ran for queen at 20-years-old, it was a momentous time in her life.
“Winning (national cherry queen) is still one of the highlights of my life,” Weber said. “I look back and there were so many people in the community that made my year not just possible, but really very fulfilling. One of the highlights of my year was presenting George H.W. Bush with a cherry pie at the White House and gaining security clearance to go to his office. Being there was amazing. I’m from one of the smallest cities in the world and to have that opportunity was incredible.”
As current assistant director for the cherry queen program, Weber said the process is very much the same as it was when she ran in the 80s. The program itself has been fruitful in gaining interest over the years, and has been successful in ultimately finding a representative that can serve the community and nation well.
There are two phases to the process, with the first being known as selection weekend, which is slated for May 16-17 this year. After women submit an application and a one minute introductory video in advance, they will be required to gather for several interviews with a panel of judges, as well as give a speech related to the cherry industry.
When the selection process wraps up, program staff will announce the top four candidates, who in-turn become the cherry queen court during the week of the festival. Weber said the four girls are then observed by secret judges throughout the week of the festival at various events. Once officially crowned, specific cherry queen duties will vary year by year, but women will participate in local festivals and events as well as out of state trips to represent the region.
“It’s really a wonderful way for our judges to see girls being themselves truly,” Weber explained. “The best way to do cherry festival is to do it just by being authentically yourself… every queen just puts her own personal spin and her own personal touch into the year.”
Maria LaCross Okorn was crowned in 2010 and also serves on the queen committee today. Okorn first ran for the role in 2008 and made it to the top four that year. After a year’s pause though, she would apply again in 2010 and win. Okorn looked at the cherry queen process as something that would be beneficial to her every step of the way — from the initial interviewing with program staff to the week of serving on the queen’s court — she said it was a great opportunity for growth professionally and as a person.
“It was just a way to give back to the community and the festival and the industry that I grew up in. My parents are cherry growers and processors,” Okorn said. “If I could impart that to young women — ‘there’s this amazing opportunity for you and it’s a huge scholarship on top of travel and getting to experience a lot of other events that you probably wouldn’t otherwise’ — you just never know in terms of networking within those events and where it can take you.”
That experience of growth led Okorn to become more comfortable and articulate when speaking with students and individuals during her first year of teaching high school English at St. Francis, as well as with business and industry professionals. The opportunity is one that not every region has, but Okorn said it’s still there today for anyone that wants to pursue it.
“You’re not going to lose anything by putting yourself out there, you’re only going to gain something,” she added. “Just knowing that there’s this chance to not only make an impact in your community, but to have something really impact your life in a huge way.”
The current 2024 cherry queen, Tessa Nico, recently returned from a trip to Pasadena, California to represent the cherry festival at the Rose Bowl. The chance to travel to an event the size of the rose bowl helps cherry queens like Nico to get the word out about the cherry festival on a national level.
An annual cherry festival attendee since she was a little girl, Nico said she always looked up to the queen and the values the role represented. In 2022, Nico was crowned Miss Elk Rapids, which sparked more of her interest and love for ambassadorship and giving back to the community that raised her. However, running for cherry festival queen in 2024 allowed Nico to take her ambassadorship to the next level while giving back to and advocating for a national cherry crop.
“I love being a role model to younger kids too and I wasn’t really confident when I was younger. I had those role models that I looked up to that helped me gain my confidence so I kind of wanted to take on that role and be that role model for others as well,” Nico said. “... I’ve kind of formed myself into who I am now and truly know who I am because of this program and prior programs that I have been involved in.”
Just like former queens have shared, the sisterhood and bond with other young women is another great benefit that Nico has taken away from the program and will treasure for years to come.
“What’s so special about the program is that you’re in a big sisterhood, I’m the 93rd national cherry queen and then I’ll get to crown the 94th,” she said. “We can only hope that it will still continue and that the sister- ship will keep going. It’s really special and I’m really happy and fortunate to be a part of it.”
Tessa Nico, current national cherry queen, is pictured last summer after being crowned. Courtesy photo
