CHERRY FEST 2010
Schedule of Events, Saturday, August 7, 2010
9AM - 4PM: Bakery Booth featuring fresh baked Cherry Kolaches, Cherry Pie and ice cream and Cherry Sundaes. The Jacksonport Women's Club will also be making and serving fresh "hot on the spot" funnel cakes. A variety of Cherry Jams, Cherry Pie filling and other cherry products for sale to benefit the JHS at a booth nearby.
Juried Arts & Crafts Fair featuring talented artists & craftsmen from the Midwest. Many of your favorite artist from past years will return for this renowned show.
Historical Review Booth – Sponsored by the JHS. Booth will feature Jacksonport Family memorabilia on display and the Society's books for sale – Jacksonport Through The Generations, Volume I, Volume II, Volume IV, Volume V, Volume VI, Volume VIII and Schools and Teachers, Volume III. The Root Cellar in the Erskine Rest Area will be open to the public. Take a step back in time and visit the restored Root Cellar located next to the Historical Booth.
Pioneer Living pre 1840's with tipi and live demonstrations by Joe Jeanquart & Randy Alexander (blacksmithing, fire starting, cooking & leather work) in the Erskine Rest Area – sponsored by the Raibrook Foundation.
9:00AM - 10:30AM: Birch Creek Ambassadors will be performing their wonderful jazz music.
10:00AM: Lunch Booth opens: Cherry Hamburgers and Cherry Brats along with a variety of cold beverages will be provided by Door County Custom Meats owned by Keith and Jaci Birnschein.
11:00AM - 3:00PM: Mayberry's Wagon Rides – ongoing from Lakeside Park on Park Road.
11:00AM - 1:30PM: Music by Matt Wahl, popular folk singer and songwriter.
12:30PM: Registration for the Penny Hunt on the beach for the younger set.
1:00PM: Penny Hunt on the beach for ages 3-5 and 6-8.
2:00PM - 4:00PM: Mike Miller Band performing everything from Sinatra to Aretha.
All musical performances will take place in the Big Tent. Picnic table seating around the tent will be available. Bring your folding chairs or blanket for additional seating. Performance times may vary slightly.
1941 Ford Pickup Truck on display
at 2009 Cherry Fest
Cherry Fest 2009 in Review
As the day began skepticism set in as to whether Cherry Fest in Jacksonport on August 1 would be a rain out? The clouds rolled in and down came the rain. For about an hour all the art and craft vendors and volunteers searched for shelter to avoid the downpour of rain that hit Lakeside Park. Then it stopped and all was a go. The vendors who traveled from all across Wisconsin as well as from other states started their set up and we all felt that the event was indeed going to happen. Volunteers had been baking kolaches since 4 am and we needed buyers for those delicious cherry treats. The coffee was brewing and then the skies lightened and folks started to arrive. At 9 am the Birch Creek Ambassadors started their performance under the big tent entertaining everyone with great jazz music. Soon the sun arrived and more people came to see what Cherry Fest was all about. Keith and Jaci Birnschein and their crew from Door County Custom Meats arrived, fired up their grill and started serving cherry hamburgers, cherry brats, and pork sandwiches all prepared especially for us. They were an instant hit! In the meantime the Jacksonport Historical Society was busy opening the root cellar in the Erskine Rest Area which they had lovingly restored a few years ago. Many people took a step back in time to see how foods were stored before refrigerators. And when all the clouds cleared we were able to view a 1923 Fordson tractor, a 1937 tractor as well as a 1947 John Deere tractor Bob Spittlemeister brought to the event. Bob Mikels also brought his 1941 Ford pickup truck that he loving restored after the Martin Cherry Orchard sold the truck to him many years ago. Many pictures were taken as folks stopped to admire his work. Meanwhile Joe Jeanquart and Randy Alexander portrayed the lifestyle of the 1800’s. They also gave tours of their tipi which was also set up in the Eriskine Rest Area. As the morning progressed we heard the soft melodic sound of the guitar of Matt Wahl playing folk music as well as some of his original pieces. Matt has been playing at Cherry Fest for many years. Now that everyone had lunch they needed desert and that they found at the Jacksonport Historical Society food booth where the most delicious cherry pies furnished by Schartner’s Farm Market were available to purchase. Aside from pie and ice cream and coffee they also had cherry ice cream, cherry sundaes, and a cherry drink to wash it all down. The Jacksonport Women’s Club also provided delicious funnel cakes. A variety of jams and jellies were also sold at a nearby booth. And what would Cherry Fest be without fresh Door County cherries. Peter Stoffel brought us several different varieties of the Door’s special cherries. By now Mayberry’s Wagon rides had arrived and were taking folks for a ride through the village. Also on the beautiful sand beach that Lakeside Park is known for, was a penny hunt for the kids. Fun for kids and adults alike as the kids searched the sand to see who could collect the most pennies hidden there by Joe Jarosh earlier in the day. A fun event for parents and children. And then a change in music as the Mike Miller Band from Milwaukee began their set. The singer for this band is Diedre Fellner, a local gal who loves to come back to Door County and entertain with her beautiful voice. After a shaky start the crowd was large and the weather, though a little windy, was beautiful. The money that is raised at this event goes to the Jacksonport Historical Society to help develop the museum property located on the south end of Jacksonport. A museum has been the goal since the inception of the group. They have had many Jacksonport families present their histories at their monthly meetings which are held June through September on the 4th Wednesday of the month at the Jacksonport Town Hall. This year a cemetery walk was presented at the Episcopal Cemetery located on County Highway A which was attended by some 90 people. The upcoming presentation on August 26 is the story of the Schleicher family and on September 23 the story of the Grovogal family will be presented. Other accomplishments of the Jacksonport Historical Society is the restoration of the root cellar in the Erskine Rest Area, 5 books have been published compiling all the family histories presented at the monthly meetings, another book giving the history of the schools and teachers in the Jacksonport school district, development of a brochure and website (www.jacksonporthistoricalsociety.org), and in conjunction with the Wisconsin Historical Society two of the four churches in Jacksonport now have beautiful plaques mounted on large stones telling the churches stories. The mission of the Society is to keep the history of the township safe. So in 2010 Cherry Fest will be August 7. Same times same place and a fun time will be had by all and will make it possible for the Jacksonport Historical Society to be “keepers of the past” for all future generations.