There’s a new National Cherry Queen! Olivia Coolman is your 2022 National Cherry Festival Queen.
The Hagerty Center hosted Friday night’s Coronation Ceremony. Four Queen candidates started the evening, and now just one is the queen.
“When I heard my name called I just didn’t believe it. If that makes sense,” Coolman chuckled.
Coolman is a 2017 graduate of Traverse City West Senior High School. She says she can’t wait to represent Traverse City with cherry love.
“It’s all been a surreal experience and I look forward to the future and the rest of this year and meeting so many new people. And being the name and the advocate for Cherry Festival in our city,” Coolman says.
While a new Queen has been crowned, now former Queen Allie Graziano is stepping aside. She says being Cherry Queen was a dream of hers since she was a little girl.
“I’m just proud to have left my own legacy, my own mark and now join them in congratulating our newest member of our Queen’s Cult — is what they call it,” Graziano laughed.
Graziano says it’s been a honor being Cherry Queen and leaves new Cherry Queen Coolman with some advice.
“Take every second and just run with it. You only get one year and it truly just goes by so quick,” Graziano advised.
As for the new queen, she says she can’t wait to see what the next 12 months as Cherry Royalty brings.
“I hope to travel. I would look forward to traveling and seeing other festivals and spreading the word and getting outside of Michigan. I think we’re a great city so let’s spread it,” Coolman says.
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