It's less than 24 hours before the kick off to the start of Cherry Festival and organizers are putting final touches on the event.
By Melissa Smith
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 6:39 p.m.
Read more: Local, Economy, Business, Community, National Cherry Festival, Tim Hinkley, Final Preparations, Open Space
TRAVERSE CITY -- The National Cherry Festival officially starts Saturday morning but today organizers are putting the final touches on the set up making sure everything is just right.
"The last day is the hardest day because that's when all the vendors come in and you've got to get all the little things that you have to wait until the very end like signage all the beautification stuff that we're working on. But it's all going to come together, we're confident," says festival executive director, Tim Hinkley
Hinkley says it's confidence that's moving last minute festival preparations along. With less than 24 hours to go before the opening day organizers were out bright and early to finalize the set up.
"I was out by six o'clock and I know there were other people starting to file in around six and tonight it will go on until it's done," says Hinkley.
That means business booths, signs, even the food court all need to be complete come Saturday morning.
One area that has been raising some questions with the festival is the Arnold Midway carnival rides. This year the rides are set up on parking lots B and P. But Hinkley says parking is still available just in other parts of the city.
"It's just been transferred. A lot of the parking is permit parking because you've got different businesses that are down there. I know we've got permit parking for a lot of our vendors and sponsors, but I think there's also a lot of other opportunities around," says Hinkley.
For now Hinkley says everything is on track for the festival that as always is expected to bring in crowds from across the country.
"it's a great economic generator and it's a great way for the area to showcase itself. People up from Illinois, I talked to people from California already. So it's our chance to show off....You want things to look great, you want them to have a great time so you put on your best face and put your best foot forward," says Hinkley.
