DOTD For Thursday, July 16, 2026
This Drink Will Put The Cherry On Top Of Your Day
Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Tom and Cherry Cocktail, inspired by National Cherry Day!
National Cherry Day arrives every July 16 in the U.S., inviting everyone to celebrate the vibrant flavor and versatility of this beloved stone fruit. From pies and tarts to fresh snacking and cocktails, there are countless delicious ways to enjoy cherries. Grab a bowl, bake a pie, or mix a drink to join the festivities! Also, remember - National Cherry Pie day was back in February, and we made another great drink then.
Origins of National Cherry Day
National Cherry Day was originally launched in the United Kingdom in 2008, the culmination of a campaign conducted by agricultural & food advocacy groups to save the British cherry industry, which at the time was in trouble. From the beginning of the 20th century until 2008, England and Wales lost more than half of their traditional cherry orchards to conversion to other land uses, like urban sprawl. Since 2008 the British cherry industry has undergone a dramatic transformation and revival, rebounding significantly due to technology & awareness, brought in large part by the National Cherry Day campaign.
What’s more, observance of the holiday has since expanded across the globe, and transformed into a celebration of cherries as a fruit. The date the holiday is celebrated in various countries is most often associated with the peak cherry harvest season for that nation. In the United States, the holiday is usually celebrated on July 16.
History of Cherries
Cherries have been a staple of humans’ diets for centuries. From the Roman Empire to the Chinese dynasties, these little red fruits have been on the plates of millions. They came to America by ship with early European settlers in the 1600s.
Modern-day cherry production in the United States began in 1852 when Peter Dougherty began planting cherry trees on the Old Mission Peninsula in the state of Michigan. The Midwest area proved to have an ideal climate for growing cherries and mass harvesting soon took place, with the first commercial tart cherry orchards in Michigan being planted in 1893. Soon, production surpassed other major crops and the first cherry processing facility, Traverse City Canning Company, was built with the ruby-red fruit soon being shipped to neighboring cities in the Midwest. Outreach to the entire country was created shortly after.
The maraschino cherry, created from sweet cherries, is what popularized cherries in the U.S. This popular dessert cherry was invented by merchants on the Balkan Peninsula and in northern Italy by adding liqueur to a local cherry called the Marasca. The resulting cherry product was shipped into the United States in the 1890s.
In 1896, U.S. cherry processors began trialing an indigenous sweet cherry for maraschino cherries, in which less liqueur was used in the processing, and almond oil was added. In the end, the liqueur was eliminated completely. By 1920, the American variation of the maraschino cherry was so popular that it had taken over as the top nonnative variety in the United States.
National Cherry Day FAQs
How many cherries are produced in the U.S. annually?
The U.S. cherry industry produces over 650 million pounds of tart and sweet cherries each year, with Michigan leading in tart cherry production and Washington in sweet cherries.
What are the most popular types of cherries?
Sweet cherries like Bing, Rainier, and Chelan are popular for fresh eating, while Montmorency tart cherries are favored for baking, juices, and preserves.
Is the cherry a fruit or a vegetable?
Botanically, a cherry is a drupe, or stone fruit, making it unequivocally a fruit. It develops from the flower’s ovary and contains a single hard seed, or ‘stone,’ in its center.
5 Facts About Cherries That Will Blow Your Mind
The average cherry tree has 7,000 cherries
Cherry trees are so productive, they can yield up to 28 pies.
There are only two main types of cherries
Cherries are either sweet or tart.
Michigan is the cherry capital of the U.S.
Around 94% of cherries consumed in the U.S. are grown in Michigan.
Cherry pits contain toxins
Don’t chew on cherry pits because they can release toxins.
There are 1000 varieties of cherries worldwide
There are more than 1000 different cherry varieties, sweet and tart combined, but only 20% of them are used for commercial purposes.
National Cherry Day Activities
Visit a U-Pick farm
Oregon, California, and Michigan are a few of the states that have cherry U-Pick farms. Enjoy a day outside, picking fresh cherries.
Attend a cherry-pit spitting contest
Think you have skills? Known as the Cherry Pit Spitting Capital of the World, Eau Claire, Michigan, hosts the International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship each year. The world record for cherry stone spitting is a whole 93 feet 6.5 inches. Try beating that!
Make black cherry iced tea or another cherry drink
Celebrate this national holiday by adding a twist to a southern classic. Iced tea is the perfect summer drink, and cherries are a great addition to it. A great recipe for Black Cherry Iced Tea, via Food,com, is HERE. Or you could make today’s Drink Of The Day, a Tom and Cherry Cocktail, another excellent summer drink.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:
