7,500 whoop it up at 10th anniversary of Maine Whoopie Pie Festival
DOVER-FOXCROFT — It was a sweet day in Maine as 7,500 people attended the 10th anniversary edition of the annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday, June 22. Those passing through the entrance gates celebrated the taste of tens of thousands of whoopie pies, enjoyed other food, games, live music and hundreds of artists, crafters and vendors.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
EAT AS FAST AS YOU CAN — Savoring a whoopie pie was not an ideal method as entrants in the youth whoopie pie contest raced to finish one half of Maine’s Official State Treat first during the 10th anniversary edition of the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. Corey Atwood of Mattawamkeag ate his the fastest to earn bragging rights. The 2019 festival drew 7,500 with proceeds benefiting the Center Theatre.
Many of the vendor whoopie pies were judged in popular voting contests. These winners were Best Whoopie Pie Baker (as voted on by festival attendees) Countryside Restaurant and Bakery, Corinth; and Best Allens Coffee Flavored Brandy Whoopie Pie (by popular vote) Sweetie Pies, Dexter.
Top judged category winners included Best Traditional Whoopie Pie, All Purpose Bakery, Worcester, Massachusetts; Best Flavored Whoopie Pie, Saffies Bakery, Sandown, New Hampshire for its pumpkin whoopie pie; Best New Baker at the Festival, Countryside Restaurant and Bakery; Healthy Whoopie Prize, Saffies Bakery for an oatmeal whoopie pie; Most Creative Whoopie Pie Name, Sweetie Pies for “Mornin Whoopie”; The Yankee Whoopie Prize sponsored by the Yankee Chef, Sweets Market, Brewer for a lemon blueberry whoopie pie; and Best Allens Whoopie Pie sponsored by Allens Coffee Flavored Brandy Bangin Whoopie, Bangor for its Allens Mocha Whoopie Pie.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
CHEW! CHEW! — Contestants in the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival youth eating contest race to consume a half a whoopie pie the fastest during this year’s festival on Saturday, June 22 in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. Corey Atwood of Mattawamkeag won while the teen winner was Jeremy Plumstead of Pittsfield and Kurt Hatch of Houlton took home top honors in the adult eating competition.
The Maine Whoopie Pie Festival holds three whoopie pie eating contests and the winners were, in the youth division, Corey Atwood from Mattawamkeag; teen winner, Jeremy Plumstead of Pittsfield; and the adult winner was Kurt Hatch from Houlton.
The Maine Whoopie Pie Festival celebrates the taste of Maine’s Official State Treat, the whoopie pie. It is the largest annual fundraiser for the Center Theatre and supports the theatre mission to make arts, culture, entertainment and education accessible to their rural communities. For more information on the Whoopie Pie Festival go to www.MaineWhoopiePieFestival.com or call the Center Theatre at 564-8943.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WHOOPIE PIE EATING INSTRUCTIONS — Before digging into their whoopie pies entrants in the youth whoopie pie eating contest listen to instructions from contest official Derek Carroll as an audience gathers around.
Photo courtesy of Center Theatre
BIRD’S EYE VIEW — A crowd of 7,500 passed through the gates of the 2019 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on June 22 in downtown Dover-Foxcroft to celebrate the taste of Maine’s Official State Treat.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
CAREFUL CUTTING — Alissa Wetherbee, left, and Laurette Russell of the Axe Women Loggers of Maine race with their chainsaws in a hot saw competition during the inaugural Dover True Value Homeshow Expo on June 22 in conjunction with the adjacent Maine Whoopie Pie Festival.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HAND OVER HANDLE — Laurette Russell heaves her ax at a nearby target during the Dover True Value Homeshow Expo on Saturday. The Axe Women Loggers of Maine performed three shows during the day.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LOOKING SHARP — Alissa Wetherbee, owner of Pine Timber Sports, LLC and the Axe Woman Loggers of Maine, demonstrated her skills in the ax throw as part of the first annual Dover True Value Homeshow Expo on June 22 in conjunction with the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival.