Marketing Officer and committee member for the Young Cherry Festival Claire Myers said the festival was electric.

“It was one of the largest crowds to date for the Young Cherry Festival,” Ms Myers said.

“On the Saturday the whole township of Young would have easily doubled.

“It was a huge financial boost not only for young but also for the surrounding districts,” she said.

There was heated competition in the festivals events including over 50 entries for the Wilders Bakery pie eating contest.

Winners included Jessica Richards who took out the junior section, Terry McDonald took out the senior section for the second year in a row and Young’s Mayor Stuart Freudenstein took out the celebrity event.

The pip spit was also a favourite with over 60 entries.

Nick Boland took out the junior section with 7.36 metres, the ladies event was taken out by Courtnay Hancock from Narromine with 11.5 metres and Jeff Person all the way from Canada spat an impressive 12.97 metres to take out the men’s section for the second year in a row.

Ms Myers says the festival exceeded all the committees’ expectations.

“After last years devastation it was so great to see the local business owners and residents really support this years cherry festival under perfect weather conditions,” Ms Myers said.

“The cherry growers all around young were flat out with visitors wanting to pick their own cherries,” she said.

The 2011 Cherry Queen was Ellie Caldwell who has recently moved to Young only twelve months ago and said she entered to get to know her community and the people who live in it.

Local Katie Blair was crowned Charity Queen after she raised the most donations for her charity Young Self Managed Renal Unit.