Maison European Antiques: Summer's delight....Cherry Festival in SoCal

Summer is in full swing...beach time....picnics....warm leisurely days....clear starry nights and festivals...fairs...parades...July 4 will be here before we can blink. This weekend is all about a southern Cali Cherry Festival, in Beaumont...pictured above at night from IE Fun Magazine. Every time I type the word cherry...I want to type cheery...maybe its because this little red delicious fruit, the cherry, makes me happy...not quite sure...I just know I cannot remember a time when I didn't anticipate each summer's fresh cherry season. I love cherries, not the ones from a glass jar, not the ones in Shirley Temples, not the ones on the top of ice cream sundaes...the cherries I simply adore, are the fresh ones, sweet & crisp...truly summer's delight for me.
Yesterday, my hubby & I went to the Cherry Festival, just under two hours from us, we also visited an cherry orchard in Cherry Valley, a few miles north of the festival. It was a treat visiting the orchard, the trees are beautiful, the leaves rich, vibrant green & the cherries a brilliant red against the blue sky. There were several varieties of cherries, we left with several bags...happily sampling on the drive home....saving some for a fresh cherry pie. The Cherry Festival is set up close to Beaumont's downtown, in Stewart Park, it has been going on for over 90 years....it is a 4 day event, kicked off by a pancake breakfast, with homemade cherry syrup, a large parade with a grand marshal, the fair & tents are set up in the beautiful grassy park, where vendors sell lots of cherry goodies & other specialty items. There is also a large stage with ample seating and nightly musical performances. The event is well planned and all proceeds go back into the community. It is definitely a special event that this charming town of 30,000 plus looks forward to each year & also draws many out of town visitors. Sharing with you a fun & cherry delicious day...