All things dairy...
...in honor of Colantha the most prolific heifer we know and love

We invite you to be part of the First Annual Traverse Colantha Walker Dairy Festival, which will be held on the pastoral grounds of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons on Sunday, June 13th. Why Colantha? Well, she was not your ordinary heifer.

Colantha`s Story
Of the 96 Holstein-Friesian cows that comprised the former Traverse City State Hospital’s herd, Colantha was by far the most prolific. In 1926, she produced 22,918 pounds of milk in a single year, making her the highest producer in the world! In her lifetime, from 1916 to 1932, her total production was 200,114.9 pounds of milk. According to a Federal census during that same year, the State average production was 3,918 lbs. of milk per cow per year!

Colantha was so revered by hospital staff and patients that upon her death in 1932, a banquet was held in her honor, and a beautifully carved memorial stone was placed at her gravesite near the south end of the Commons property.

The former hospital facility, complete with magnificent historic buildings, massive barns, farmland and crop-land, was built in 1884 and remained in operation until 1989. The facility prided itself in becoming virtually self-sustainable through careful management of its crops and livestock. It is here, near the site of the historic cathedral barn, where Colantha Walker spent her bucolic life, lovingly tended to by the renowned staff and caretakers of the historic barns.

The First Annual Traverse Colantha Walker Dairy Festival celebrates Colantha`s historic accomplishments, as well as the preservation and urban renewal of The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a Traverse City landmark. This Village-wide, family-festive, day-long event is sure to be a resounding success!

Festival Schedule:

10am-Noon Pancake Breakfast
10am-3pm Farmers Market
10am-5pm Food, Art & Merch Vendors
Noon-1pm Public Parade to Colantha's Headstone @ Barns
1pm-7pm Live Music
2pm-3:30pm Great Grilled Cheese Grill-off
5pm-7pm Street Dance

There will also be Food Demonstrations, Wagon Rides, Kid's Activities, Wine & Cheese Pairings along with Milk & Cookie Pairings for the kids, throughout the day!

If you would like to be a Sponsor or Vendor, please contact mini@thevillagetc.com or call 231.941.1900 x12.

If you would like to volunteer for this event, please contact kristen@thevillagetc.com or call 231.941.1900 x30.