The sweet dark red cherries the region is famous for ripened early so there were a multitude for visitors to buy during last weekend’s Flathead Cherry Festival in Polson.

Five cherry orchards brought their fruit to town, and people were snacking on Lamberts, Rainers and Sweethearts, just to mention a few cherry varieties, according to Carol Lynn Lapotka, event coordinator and owner of HandMADE Montana.

After picking up some cherries to nibble, visitors could wander through close to 200 vendors on Main Street, Lapotka said, with 140 of those vendors being artisans, offering wares from huge paintings to the most delicate of earrings. The rest were nonprofit organizations and food trucks and stands.

Jen Ruggless, representing Mission West Community Development Partners, even had a fun survey. First, she gave customers a sample of a chocolate cherry breakfast bar. After tasting the treat, they could vote on whether they liked the bar by dropping a dried cherry pit in one of three containers labeled yummy, not so yummy, and not for me.

While it was nearly impossible to count attendees, Lapotka said some food vendors ran out of grub and left early, which indicated a bumper crop of visitors to accompany the bumper crop of cherries.

The weather was warm, but “no one fainted hot,” Lapotka said, and the event went smoothly. Her survey indicated that 40 percent of the vendors were first-timers.

Special events during the festival were chalk art and cherry pit spitting contests on Saturday, and the Foodie Competition on Sunday.

Four judges – including real-life District Court Judge Molly Owen – had the onerous task of tasting an array of original entries in the categories of Sweet, Savory, Commercial (for local businesses) and Pies.

Jamaine Moore took top honors in the Savory category, scoring 80 out of 80 possible points with his hot honey cherry BBQ ribs with cherry cornbread.

Kit Adams won the pie division with her apple, cherry caramel pie. She told judges she had drenched the cherries in a little bourbon and whiskey and soaked MacIntosh apples in juice squeezed from local pears. It was served with either creme fraiche or whipped cream (or in some cases, both). Her score was 77 out of 80.

In the commercial category, Durham bartender Liam Barrett whipped up a cherry-inspired cocktail, while Finley Point Grill’s Pedro Vera delivered a luscious looking crostini appetizer. They tied with perfect scores of 80 points apiece.

Kelly Barrett, who had several entries in the event, won the sweet category with her Mexican cheesecake and cherry compote.

Winners received a Flathead Cherry Festival poster and some Polson Chamber Bucks.

“In case you're wondering how you become a judge, you just need to be my friend,” Lapotka said at the conclusion of the contest. “And if you want to enter next year, applications open up in early June.”

    Cherrily attired Kelly Barrett dishes up her dessert offering for judges in the Flathead Cherry Festival's Foodie Contest. She took first in the Sweet category. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Judge Molly Owen savors a crostini by Finley Point Grill chef Pedro Vera during the Flathead Cherry Festival's Foodie Contest. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Nicki Gell, ColorFly Faces, applies some sparkles to princess Ayla during the Cherry Festival. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    A line of hand screen printed tea towels draw attention to Corvidae Drawing and Designs booth at the Flathead Cherry Festival. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)