The inaugural Pies to Thrive Community Bake-Off invites citizens, businesses and organizations to bake a pie for a good cause, and bragging rights, of course.
The contest will be held in conjunction with the Pawpaw Festival, coming up Oct. 5 at Nesselrod on the New. Pies will be dropped off by participants at the festival in the morning and judged on site.
The deadline to apply for the contest is this Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11:59 P.M., using this link: https://forms.gle/wQ3ya2BxeBkq23iV8. The cost to enter is $5.
Pawpaw Festival organizer Jesse Kelly says he hopes the pie contest will be a fun community builder. Proceeds from entry fees will benefit local food pantries.
“In addition to raising food, funds and awareness for tremendous New River Valley food pantries, we hope the “Pies to Thrive” Community Bake-Off will create new avenues for connection across generational gaps, cultural differences, geographic boundaries and socioeconomic status,” said Kelly. “We aspire to give local bakers the opportunity to share their one-of-a-kind recipes along with their unique stories in a community setting, as Pawpawfest guests will be able to comfortably enjoy the many delicious flavors of the New River Valley and beyond. With mayors from both Radford and Pulaski County serving on the community judges panel, bringing folks together from different places and celebrating local foods are a couple of our foremost intentions.”
Kelly said the Pawpaw Festival will have something for everyone.
“PawpawFest guests have the chance to jam to outstanding music, food, art, plants and pawpaw at the historic grounds of Nesselrod on the New all day long,” he said. “With local authors talks, free yoga sessions, an educational nature walk, live demonstrations and activities, raffles, pawpaw tastings, and a whole lot more, there’s truly something for everyone – all ages! In bringing together this all-star cast of people, community organizations and businesses, PawpawFest is an entrepreneurial incubator that offers everyone the opportunity to experience something new and make lifelong memories with loved ones. The festival is designed to support ecological restoration, Appalachian culture, and, of course, all things local.”
Kelly said a full schedule of festival events and activities will be published Oct. 1 with much of the lineup trickling out in the days leading up to the event.
Staff report
