THE DALLES, Ore. – This weekend is a time to celebrate cherries in The Dalles, specifically, the cherry blossom, and the cherry industry.
The 39th Annual Northwest Cherry Festival is a long-time favorite, and full of fun for the entire family. It takes place in downtown The Dalles from Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29, and showcases The Dalles’ deep agricultural heritage and Western roots.
“This is a celebration of the blossoms, which have always been an indication of the harvest to come,” said The Dalles Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Farquharson. “We are super excited, as we are the largest per capita sweet cherry producer, here in The Dalles, Oregon.”
The Tonkin Subaru Parade takes place Saturday, April 28, at 10 a.m. Check out a list of events
“You can expect more than you can do,” said Farquharson. “You can expect carnivals, you can expect music, we have car shows, we have antique fire trucks and then we also have Cherry Idol, where we actually have a competition similar to American Idol, and they get to sing-off and win prizes for cash.”
You don’t want to miss the crowning of Cherry Festival Royalty at Mid-Columbia Senior Center’s Breakfast Saturday Morning before the parade!
The Festival includes the Gorge’s largest parade, classic car show, a 10k race, and lots of great local music and bands. There’s also cherry sampling with the Oregon Cherry Growers, craft vendors, and agriculture job fair.