Cherry Celebrations Begin

The peninsula is beginning to pop with ripe cherries, which means that the markets and cherry festivals are also appearing around the county. Beginning mid-month and lasting through mid-August, you’ll find the orchard markets overflowing with just-picked cherries and lots of goodies to go along with the harvest. Plus, each weekend you can find a festival or two to taste-test plenty of cherry recipes, attempt your best cherry pit spit and join in the family fun with live music, bake sales, wagon rides, tours, craft fairs and more. Mark your calendars!

Cherry Festival at Sister Bay Moravian Church

Thursday, July 18, 10 am – 2 pm

10924 Old Stage Rd, Sister Bay

The Women’s Fellowship at Sister Bay Moravian Church organizes a lunch, hosts a local artists’ craft fair and bake sale, and serves lots of cherry desserts. All proceeds will support local and global mission outreach efforts. The festival is free and open to the public.

Lautenbach’s 15th Annual Summer Harvest Fest

Saturday, July 20, 9 am – 5 pm

9197 Hwy 42, Fish Creek

Lautenbach’s Orchard County is a popular place to pick your own cherries, but because of the cold spring, it’s expected that tart cherries will not be ready until July 20 – which is also the day of the annual Lautenbach’s summer harvest party! Guests can enjoy complimentary wine, cider and farm-market food tastings; take horse-drawn-wagon rides; join a free, guided tour; and enjoy live music by Bacchus Lotus, 12-5 pm. Kids will love the balloon creations, 11 am – 4 pm, and perhaps you’ll want to enter the cherry-donut-eating contest at 11:30 am, the cherry-pie-eating contest at 12:30 pm or the cherry-pit spit at 1:30 pm.

Country Ovens’ Cherry De-Lite Festival

Saturday, July 20, 10 am – 4 pm

229 E. Main St., Forestville

Country Ovens – purveyor of the “original Door County dried cherry” – is hosting its seventh annual customer-appreciation festival at its Forestville location. Watch cooking demos by celebrity chefs Mad Dog & Merrill, enjoy free samples, compete in the pie-eating contest, listen to live music and more. Chow down on cherry brats, pulled-pork sandwiches and sundaes, all available for purchase.

Seaquist Orchards’ Cherry Festival 

Saturday, July 27, 9 am – 5 pm

11482 Hwy 42, Sister Bay

The family-run Seaquist Orchards enterprise is celebrating another season of cherries at its Sister Bay orchard market, which will host a cherry-pit-spit contest, pie-slice-eating contest, games for the whole family, dunk tank, lots of delicious food and fun.

Jacksonport Cherry Fest

Saturday, August 3, 7 am – 4 pm

Jacksonport, at the intersection of Highway 57 and County V

The Jacksonport Historical Society sponsors this annual, community-wide festival, which features a fantastic juried art fair where you’ll find artisan-made goods and lots of cherry-centric items such as kolaches, pie and ice cream, cherry sundaes, cherry floats, jams, pie fillings and more. Make it a meal with burgers or cherry brats. There’s a penny hunt on the beach for the youngsters, helicopter rides, car show, raffle and a musical performance by Modern Day Drifters from 10-4 pm.