After getting both a literal and proverbial taste of the pie at the2019 Arkansas Pie Festival in Cherokee Village the inaugural festival has grown. The event was canceled in both 2020 and 2021due to the Covid pandemic, but over 900 attended last year. This year, the fun filled festival is back again and promises to be just as fun when it returns to Cherokee Village’s Town Center on April 29.What could be more fun than eating as much pie as one wants for a great cause? Pie lovers from across the state will convene on Cherokee Village to enjoy the event. Judges and the public will be able to share in the fun and more importantly, the festival’s pies, while enjoying music, food, a pie eating contest, Cutie Pie Pet Parade and even a 5K before the festival. The event has brought contestant’s from across the state to compete for one of the coveted titles given for baking the state’s favorite deserts and bragging rights. Pies baked by commercial bakers, home bakers and youth will be judged on overall appearance, crust and filling. Awards will begiven in all categories as well as Pie in the Sky delegations for Cutie Pie, Best Decorated and Judges Honorable Mentions. Above all the most coveted award comes as the People’s Choice, for the most votes from the public after partaking in the samples of each baker’s final product. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Pie Day 5K with the Arkansas Pie Festival kicking off at 9 a.m. While there will be live music, pie tasting and baking as well as the now famous pie eating event and auctions, the official schedule for the day was not yet posted on the event’s website. This year a new event has been added to the festival, The Cutie Pie Pet Parade will begin at 12:30p.m. followed by the Pup-Pie-Gobble of homemade dog treats. There will be visiting dogs as well as adoptable dogs from the Cherokee Village Animal Shelter Tickets are currently on sale.
Visit https://www.arkansaspiefestival.com. Festival proceeds help support the Spring River Innovation Hub’s STEAM education opportunities in this rural community, including arts and robotics summer camps, career exploration events, and small business marketing.
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