When you think northern Michigan you think Cherries. So why is it that the Guinness Record for the wold's largest cherry pie is held by Oliver, British Columbia?
Two Michigan cities previously held that title.
Patrick Sullivan wrote about the battle of the cherry pies for Northern Express.
In was in 1976 that Charlevoix baked a 17,420 pound pie to win the record.
Sullivan says "there was kind of a Guinness Book of World Records craze going on at the time" and the idea was cooked up by a local restaurateur who thought it was the perfect way to celebrate the bicentennial.
In 1987 Traverse City stole away the title with their own 28,000 pound pie.
"It took industrial equipment to make."
Sullivan says a ready mix truck was used to mix the crust and lawn rollers helped spread the filling. A stone oven even had to be built to cook the enormous pie.
But how edible were these concoctions?
Sullivan says he spoke to some residents who got to try it.
"What you're basically getting is some pie filling in a solo cup."
Sullivan spoke to the Executive Director of the Cherry Festival and he expressed interest in taking the record back in honor of the festival's 90th year in 2016, but funding the endeavor is a large obstacle they would have to overcome.
