Despite the hot weather over the weekend, thousands of visitors descended on Gush Etzion to enjoy different types of cherries, in a colorful celebration of cherry picking, with an 'eat-em-as-you-pick-em' attitude at Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim. The festival, celebrating its 20th year, was attended by public figures and visitors from all over the country and from all walks of life and was produced by the Gush Etzion Regional Council and the Gush Etzion Tourism Association. The event provided visitors with the opportunity to experience the fruit picking process and to participate in a colorful event that includes a farmers' market, food stalls, tastings of the Festival Chef's products, children's creative corners and musical performances. Shlomo Neeman, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, said, 'The people of Israel voted in their feet and came to Gush Etzion in droves today, and our cherry festival is another good example of the quality that is here.' Moshe Bruce, CEO of the Gush Etzion Tourism Association, said, 'The cherry festival is a festive day for Gush Etzion to see thousands of people coming from all over the country in order to enjoy a combination of agriculture and tourism in the magnificent landscape ... We invite everyone to come and visit our heritage and tourist sites in Gush Etzion.'
