Festival Fun At Five Fruit Farms

Fruit is just the beginning at the annual Green Bluff Cherry Festival.

Sure, those who head up to the popular orchard area north of Spokane on Saturday and Sunday can grab fistfuls of cherries. There will be tons of Bings, Rainiers and Lapins from which to choose.

But festival-goers can also listen to live music, have their faces painted, feed vigorously on homemade pies and cobbler, ride in a pony cart, eat chicken and catfish, check out arts and crafts, and pet llamas.

Or you can just walk around the orchards, soak up the view of Mount Spokane, fantasize about retooling your lifestyle and perhaps seek out one of the farmers for a reality check.

Five orchards will take part. There are to be activities from about 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. both days, according to orchardist Arlene Morrell.

Admission and parking are free. Look for signs on Green Bluff Road and Day-Mount Spokane Road.

The festival features several events geared for young children.

Here are the participating fruit farms and their phone numbers:

Walter’s Fruit Ranch, 238-4709.

Hidden Acres, 238-4031.

Beck’s Harvest House and Orchard, 238-6970.

Wellens’ Luscious Fruit and Antiques, 238-6978.

Gibson’s Orchard, 238-4874. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing of cherries