Batesville, In. — Through President’s Day downtown Batesville-based Schmidt’s Bakery will offer the famous Cherry-Thing-a-Lings.” In 2018 a record 118,910 “Cherry-Thing-A-Lings” were sold, just about a 30 percent increase over the more than 82,000 sold in 2017.
The bakery hosted 5,014 guests from across the Midwest and shipped more than 500 dozen to sweet-lovers all over the country. “This was a tremendous year for us and we are really happy so many people traveled to Batesville and were willing to stand in line for hours,” said Schmidt’s Bakery owner Bertie Schmidt. “I hope everyone enjoyed the Thing-A-Ling’s and I hope to see everyone again next year!”
This year marks the inaugural“Cherry Festival” in downtown Batesville.
Batesville Main Street and the City of Batesville, with the help of the John A. Hillenbrand Foundation, William A. and Martha H. Hillenbrand Foundation, Enhanced Telecommunications, Global Atlantic, Bruns-Gutzwiller, Margaret Mary Health Foundation, Sharp Painting LLC, Transmark Logistics, The Waters of Batesville, The Garrett Group and Marti Fritsch Tracy of Lohmiller Real Estate there will be a 60 X 80-foot synthetic ice skating rink. The ice skating rink will be open Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In-kind donations have been provided by the Gillman Home Center, Harmeyer’s Market, Pro Prints, Water-Tek, McDonald’s, Assured Partners and many volunteers who are donating their time to make this a successful event.
“It is great to see our community come together to support such a great idea that will certainly help bring more people into our downtown area and into those businesses,” said Mayor Mike Bettice.
There are activities and contests for the entire family including Ice Sculpting Demonstration, Cherry Pit Spitting Contest and a Cherry Guessing Contest.
“Many of our downtown businesses will have special promotions and Main Street encourages you to visit and support our downtown stores and restaurants during the weekend,” said Main Street promotions co-chair Amy Hawkins.
