Local cherries will be the star of the show in Blenheim as Cherryfest kicks off on Thursday.
The annual event runs until Saturday, July 21, and this year they're going to attempt a world record.
"The most people simultaneously spitting cherry pits," says organizer JP Huggins. "It doesn't matter how old you are, or how good you are at spitting pits. You come out, you sign up, and spit a cherry pit all at the same time with us, and even if you hit yourself in the feet, as long as we have more than 250 people, we can break that record."
Huggins says they're looking for people to join the record attempt.
"Everybody can come, as long as they sign up. We're asking people to show up, if they want to come for that, to be there at 11:30am at the latest so we can get their names down, because everything has to be documented for the official record. And then we're going to do the spit right at noon."
There is also the regular cherry pit spit contest.
"Friday from 2-5 pm, we have qualifying for the kids and the adults' pit spit," says Huggins. "On Saturday starting at 11 o'clock we have the kids' pit spit from about 11 am until noon, then we're going to do the Guinness World Record spit there. Then we have the celebrity pit spit, and then we have the men's and women's Canadian National Champion Pit Spit Open, so we'll name a Canadian Champion there on Saturday."
Huggins says the winning distance in that competition can vary.
"Usually we are upwards of about 20 m, so about 60 ft. Roll counts, as long as it stays on the pit spitting court. We have a court sprayed right onto the road in downtown Blenheim," says Huggins.
The food at Cherry Central is being sold by the Blenheim Youth Centre and includes cherry waffle boats, cherry pulled pork, cherry coleslaw, and lots of cherry drinks.
Seven midway rides will be set up downtown, and stores will also be doing sidewalk sales.