(PCM) What’s better on a hot August day than a delicious, icy popsicle? Today you can get all sorts of flavors and make even stranger ones on your own, but that doesn’t take away from the classics… like the cherry popsicle.
While we encourage you to explore the wonders of the popsicle world, this weekend, we prize the cherry above all else in order to celebrate National Cherry Popsicle Day on August 26.
Whether you make your own, go out to the grocery store and stock up on your favorite brands or even pay the ice cream man a visit, there is hardly a better weekend to celebrate the cherry. Go ahead, indulge in some cherry flavored treats all weekend – popsicles, water ice, pop tarts, even get a few ice cream sundaes in there (so long as they come with a cherry on top!). Not feeling too well? There’s a cherry solution for you in the medicine aisle!
But we know cherries are good for more than just their flavor, so we’ve put together a list of some of the most notable instances of the cherry in pop culture to make sure we’re all getting the most out of this cheery cherry holiday!
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You can’t really have a party without some music, right? Here’s our suggestions on who and what you should be blasting this weekend (and even as you’re just reading this article):
“Black Horse and The Cherry Tree” – KT Tunstall
“Cherry Bomb” – The Runaways
“Cherry Pie” – Warrant
“Cherry, Cherry” – Neil Diamond
(Also check out “Cherry Cherry Christmas” if you’re feeling especially jolly!)
“Save Tonight” – Eagle Eye Cherry
“Zoot Suit Riot” – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
“Sorry” – Buckcherry
Need some more people to celebrate the wonder of the cherry with you? Some may be real, some may be dreamed up by the creative minds of Hollywood, but there are plenty out there to make your list:
Cherry Jones
55-year-old Cherry Jones is a veteran of the stage and the screen. Most recently, you may have caught her on NBC’s Awake as Dr. Judith Evans, but she’s also been in huge hits like Erin Brockovich (2000) and Signs (2002) and is perhaps best known for her role as President Allison Taylor on the hit show 24. She played the first ever female President within the 24 universe. Now that’s pretty cool!
Cherie Currie
While this Cherie appeared on screen as an actress a few times, her claim to fame is being one of the most hard-rocking women in rock and roll. In 1975, at the age of 15, she became the lead singer for The Runaways, which makes her the voice you’re hearing when you listen to “Cherry Bomb” listed above.
After The Runaways, she went on to record a solo album and some music with her twin sister.
Marc CherryTalent is not only kept on one side of the camera. Marc is a writer, producer and (are you ready to remember why his name sounds familiar?) the creator of the hit TV show Desperate Housewives. The drama, lies and all around commotion of Wisteria Lane, however, found its way into his own life when Nicolette Sheridan filed a lawsuit against him and the show which was later dropped.
WWE’s Cherry
Whether you know her as Cherry or Cherry Pie, Kara Drew has a lot to owe to the classic fruit and flavor. The WWE diva had a few finishing moves – like the bulldog and the stunner – and participated in a series of tag team matches of her own, but perhaps she’s best known for managing other wrestling acts like former Tag Team Champions, Deuce ‘n Domino. She has not been with the WWE since 2008.
Sherri “Cherry” Valance
Whether you first met Cherry in the novel, The Outsiders, or saw her brought to life in the film by Diane Lane, you’ll remember she’s a Soc cheerleader who’s called Cherry because of her red hair.
Ponyboy meets her at the movies and finds they have a good deal in common, she admits she could fall in love with Dally and just before the big rumble, she becomes a spy for the Greasers.
Mary Cherry
While Ryan Murphy may be hugely popular now, he wasn’t such a big name when he created the TV series Popular in 1999. But he still had a knack for quirky characters as evidenced in the rich, rude and ultimately harmless Mary Cherry (played by Leslie Grossman) who’s mama Cherry Cherry often liked to scold her. She’s an exaggerated personality, but she’s got a soft spot of her own and we love her no matter what!
Agent Dale Cooper
You may notice that there is now “cherry” in his name, but if there is anyone who loves cherry pie more than this fan-favorite character played by Kyle MacLachlan on Twin Peaks, well, I’d be stunned.
Sure, he’d love to do his job as a special agent of the FBI and solve the murder of Laura Palmer but all he really wants in life is a good cup of a coffee and a slice of pie, preferably cherry.
With music and people at your fingertips, the cherry celebration is well on its way. But here are a few extra miscellaneous things that may help fuel your good times even more:
Cherry Coke
Perhaps one of the first mash-ups of fruit meets soda when it was introduced in 1985, Cherry Coke never goes out of style. There are alternative versions of the drink from different companies (ie. Wild Cherry Pepsi), but there’s just something about Cherry Coke that makes it everyone’s favorite.
You can even find out fairly regularly in restaurants! And, of course, it’s still available for purchase by the can or liter, as well.
Cherry Chapstick
The cherry popsicle is a classic, but so is cherry chapstick. Actually, it’s called “Classic Cherry” because it was one of the first chapsticks ever introduced. Not only does it soften, protect and help heal your lips, it even provides the perfect dose of sweet cherry flavor and the perfect touch of red to your lips. As if it wasn’t a star on its own, the flavor will also live on in infamy thanks to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”
Cherry Street
It may not be as common as the town of Springfield, but there are quite a few Cherry Streets around the country. When you find them in cities, they tend to be associated with local hotspots. In Philadelphia, you’ll find Cherry Street in the midst of Chinatown and in Tulsa, Oklahoma you’ll find it home to one of the main districts of the city (and great for shopping!). You could always ask Yellowcard about it, too. Their hit “Ocean Avenue” clearly shows they know a Cherry Street of their own… and it’s near a beach! Weekend celebration trip, anyone?
There are plenty of ways to keep your weekend cherry-centric. Brush up on the story of George Washington and the cherry tree, go to an arcade and play some Pacman (make sure you eat those cherries!) or start planning your trip to Traverse City, Michigan, the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World that once held the world record for making the world’s largest cherry pie, or your trip to the National Cherry Blossoms Festival in DC.
And, of course, don’t forget to eat as many cherry popsicles as you can this weekend. I mean, they’ve got a day all to themselves. That’s as good an excuse as any, don’t you think?
Happy National Cherry Popsicle Day!