Traverse City — Every July, more than half-a-million people flock to Traverse City for the National Cherry Festival. And while there are the usual carnival rides, concerts, and fried food, this isn’t just a big street party. It’s a cherry coronation, nearly 100 years strong.
The crowning of the National Cherry Queen is a beloved Northern Michigan tradition. It began in 1925 with the Blessing of the Blossoms and the first queen, Gertrude Brown. Since then, it’s only paused three times throughout history for the Great Depression, World War II, and Covid.
I made it to the City Opera House just in time to catch the outgoing queen’s farewell speech, complete with a slideshow of cherry farm visits and nationwide appearances. There were sequins, tears, and a standing ovation for a graceful send-off. Then came the Coast Guard escorts, guiding the finalists on stage, all donned in white gowns.
After much ceremony, the winner was announced, and the crown placed on Ainslee Hewitt, the 2025 National Cherry Queen.
I headed backstage for a quick interview and found myself immersed in decades of Cherry Queens from years past, squealing, hugging, and clinking glasses of cherry juice. “This is a sacred moment!” one organizer said, casting a side-eye toward us outsiders who dared document it. Apparently, what happens in the queen circle is supposed to stay in the queen circle.
As it turns out, Ainslee’s mom, Mitzie McKay, wore the crown in 1991. “She’s wanted to do this since she was a little girl, so it’s really special to see it come full circle,” she said, beaming with pride.
Each year, 28 area schools select a cherry prince and princess in first grade. They don’t all grow up to wear the crown, but they do grow up carrying forth the spirit. “Northern Michigan, the cherry festival, the industry—these are the most important things that are true to our area,” McKay said.
In a world quick to toss aside feminine traditions, this one remains, offering young women a path that celebrates scholarship, leadership, a love of place, and the rare opportunity to represent it.
Cherry Queens are the keepers of a heritage, passing on the story of the land and those who’ve shaped it.
“It is a sisterhood, truly… We all came here to support our farmers and the hard work,” Queen Ainslee told me. “Northern Michigan is blessed with the cherry industry.”
As National Cherry Queen, Ainslee will spend the next year traveling across Michigan and beyond, meeting farmers, appearing at festivals, and promoting the region’s agricultural roots as the festival prepares to mark its 100th year next July.
Next year, she’ll pass on more than just a crown: a royal cherry legacy.
Emily Richett is a mom of four, former news reporter, podcaster, and author of “Mama Bear Survival.”
