Diane Dennis is the Director of the Information Booth. She has a long history with the National Cherry Festival. She has volunteered for 46 years at various stations which is how she became affectionately known by everyone as Pookie
“Well, when we all started out down here with radios, we all had to take a nickname because there were too many doubles names,” said Diane Dennis. “And so, you didn’t know who you were getting. So, Pookie was what I picked because one of my grandchildren called me that. And so, what I am to my family and all my grandchildren call me Pookie instead of grandma, and I really like that name.”
Pookie and her husband tried to volunteer every year, bringing their four kids along for the ride.
“It’s a big family memory that it is, because back then, well, we had them. We had them down here as little kids because there used to be booths out here where they could sell the pop. And so that’s so we could be down here and know where they were.”
Pookie got started as a volunteer after she suggested a sand sculpting event and she became a director. She then started the teen dance, helped out in entertainment, and was the President of the Cherry Festival in 1994. She now greets people at the welcome center. With a long list of events and jobs she has done. There is one she is most proud of and it was inspired by her daughter’s friend.
“I started the fun and games for special kids about 36 years ago, and that has become a real important thing,” said Pookie. “When we started that, we presented it at a national conference and no one else had it. So we were the first festival to start that, and we’re all real proud of that one.”
Pookie also started the maps at the entrance of the festival. She says it’s a great way to connect with people from around the world.
“Well, like we are just fascinated by the fact that they find this just the thing they want to do. And you can tell the people that have been here before because they come rushing right in here. And then a lot of of them can’t speak English... And so, then they want to put all their pins in and everything. But it’s like a, a really good way to get talking to people. Everybody opens right up and you’ll hear people out here all talking.
The National Cherry Festival has brought Pookie a lifetime of memories and friendships.
“It’s very much a family. A lot of us vacation,” said Pookie. “We used to vacation together all the time and everything. So it’s a family in it. And you get together with them all year round. Not just a cherry festival.”
Pookie says how much the National Cherry Festival means to her.
“It means an awful lot,” said Pookie. “I’ve gained so many really neat friendships from it and have held them all these years, and I know that I can rely on those people and they can rely on me. And it’s easy for me to live in the great city of Traverse City and brag about it.”