TRAVERSE CITY — Fourteen candidates are competing for the National Cherry Queen title this year.
Four finalists will be selected Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Traverse City Country Club. They are eligible for academic scholarships.
These women will serve on the court of 2023-24 Cherry Queen Carmen Beemer during this year’s National Cherry Festival, which runs June 29 through July 6. The 2024-25 Cherry Queen will be crowned at the July 5 coronation at the Hagerty Center at the Northwestern Michigan College Maritime Academy.
The 2024 candidates:
Olivia Aeschliman
A 2018 graduate of Traverse City Central High School who has obtained her associate degree in liberal arts and sciences and plans to graduate from Northwestern Michigan College in 2025 with an associate degree in nursing.
Savanah Bluemel
A 2019 graduate of Traverse City Christian High School who has a health and exercise science degree from Spring Arbor University and is pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy at Grand Valley State University.
Olivia Duell
A 2021 graduate of Traverse City Central High School who is working on receiving certification to become an equine massage therapist as well as a kinesiology taping, craniosacral therapy and animal neuromyofascial release practitioner.
Erin Eckerle
A 2018 graduate of Petoskey High School and a 2020 graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied human biology.
Amelia Goodrich
A 2022 graduate of Traverse City Central High School who is currently an animal science major (pre-veterinary track) at Michigan State University.
Julia Hardy
A 2019 graduate of Grand Traverse Academy who is studying biology (pre-veterinary program) at Ferris State University.
Marlee Harrison
A 2019 graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy who earned her cosmetology license in 2021 and plans to study psychology at Northwestern Michigan College in the fall.
Micah James
A teacher, singer-songwriter, musician and small business owner from Lake Orion, Michigan.
Olivia Ludka
A 2021 graduate of Traverse City St. Francis High School who graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology and a minor in psychology from Ave Maria University.
Tessa Nico
A 2023 graduate from Elk Rapids High School who is entering her second year at Central Michigan University, where she is pursuing a degree in broadcast and cinematic art with a minor in sports management.
Sophia Stiles
A 2022 graduate from St. Francis High School who is entering her junior year at Wright State University, where she is studying musical theater.
Gwendolyn Urbain
A 2022 Traverse City Central High School graduate who in her junior year at Michigan State University, where she is studying neuroscience.
Betsy Veldman
A 2020 Byron Center High School graduate who is studying business and accounting at Ferris State University.
Grace Yakuber
A 2018 graduate of Mackinac Island Public School who obtained her private pilot license from Northwestern Michigan College.