2016 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival
Maine Whoopie Pie Festival returns on Saturday
DOVER-FOXCROFT — While the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival was created by the Center Theatre, it has grown into an event that brings a large number of local businesses and organizations together for an event that celebrates the community. The 2016 edition of the festival will be held on Saturday, June 25.
The Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce has taken management of the downtown area and always fills it with an exciting mix of vendors, artists, crafters, food and entertainment. The Chamber is supported by all its members, an active board of directors and the Maine Credit Union League which is sponsoring the downtown festivities this year.
The Center Theatre also has nearly 100 volunteers helping with the festival and a large group of committed sponsors. Lead sponsors of the 2016 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival include Bangor Savings Bank, Dave’s World and U.S. Cellular, The Bangor Daily News and Z107.3.
Festival Coordinator Patrick Myers said there are many other local businesses involved. “Several other businesses have stepped up in a big way to support the festival,” he said. “Center Coffee House has a Whoopie Pie Latte, Pat’s Pizza is featuring a Whoopie Pie Beer, Will’s Shop ‘n Save is providing the whoopie pies for our whoopie pie eating contests, the Freedom House Bed and Breakfast is offering a weekend stay in one of their wonderful one-bedroom suites in a contest available to anyone entering the festival. And of course, Varney Insurance Agency is hosting the Varney Agency Kids Zone.”
Myers said the Kids Zone has rides, games and activities provided by a variety of groups including the Parkman 4H, Hooked on Fishing, Mayo EMS, and others. There is also a long list of local businesses who sponsor the Whoopie Pie Festival including AMB Signs/Foxcroft Printers, Berg Activewear, Dover-Foxcroft Chiropractic Center, Cavanagh Law Office, Howard Insurance, Mallett Real Estate, Pat’s Pizza Dover-Foxcroft, True Textiles and Dover True Value.
For the first time the Center Theatre and Maine Whoopie Pie Festival will have a social media tent. Located next to the merchandise tent near the fire station, the festival will be hosting a live Twitter Feed as well as a live Snapchat event. Everyone is encouraged to stop by the tent and join in the fun.
There are many other events going on around Dover-Foxcroft that festival goers can enjoy. The PRYMCA will hold the annual Earn Your Whoopie Pie 3K and 1K Kids Fun Run at 8 a.m.; the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society has its summer season opening at the Observer Building Museum; the Dover-Cove Farmers Market will be open at the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce; and the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church will be holding its annual rummage sale.
All of this participation, Myers says, makes the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival a true community event, “While the festival is a fundraiser for the Center Theatre, we’re thrilled that so many other community groups and businesses can also benefit from all the visitors that come to town. I’m personally very proud to be able to host a party that shows off my home town to so many visitors.”
The Whoopie Pie Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 25. More information can be found at www.MaineWhoopiePieFestival.com .
The activities are as follows:
8 a.m. PRYMCA “Earn Your Whoopie Pie” Kids 1K Fun Run for ages 3-12;
8:30 a.m. PRYMCA “Earn Your Whoopie Pie” Adult 3K Run/Walk for ages 13 and up;
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dover Cove Farmers Market at 1041 South Street;
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church annual rummage sale;
9 a.m.-noon book sale at Thompson Free Library;
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society summer season grand opening at Observer Building Museum;
10 a.m. festival opens and the Varney Agency Kids Zone opens. Mayo Regional Hospital EMS will be holding a coloring contest and teddy bear clinic — bring a teddy bear for a check up;
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Varney Agency Zids Zone pony rides with games, activities, rides and magic all day long. The Kids Zone includes both free and ticketed activities;
10:15 a.m. the official festival welcome on the Whoopie Zone Music Stage;
10:30 a.m. Conjuring Carroll Magic Show at the Varney Agency Kids Zone;
11 a.m. Dave’s World/US Cellular Music Stage opens with Sharon Hood and Dixon Road;
11:30 a.m. Varney Agency Kids Zone Hula Hoop-Arama;
11:45 a.m. Youth Whoopie Pie Eating Contest (12 and under);
12:15 p.m. Teen Whoopie Pie Eating Contest;
1 p.m. Varney Agency Kids Zone Hula Hoop-Arama;
1:30 p.m. Music Stage: Baker Awards announcement;
1:45 p.m. Conjuring Carroll Balloon Show at the Varney Agency Kids Zone;
1:45 p.m. Adult Whoopie Pie Eating Contest;
2:15 p.m. Dave’s World/US Cellular Music Stage: Willicker;
4 p.m. Dave’s World/US Cellular Music Stage: Sharon Hood and Dixon Road kick off the Townsquare/Z107.3 Street Dance;
4-8 p.m. the fun doesn’t stop with downtown vendors, music and dancing at the Townsquare/Z107.3 Street Dance.
Contributed photo
A MAP DETAILS THE NEW LAYOUT FOR THE 2016 MAINE WHOOPIE PIE FESTIVAL.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
MAGICIAN’S ASSISTANT — Magician Conjuring Carroll Chapman gets a hand from Evalyn Fisk with two of his pet ropes and a moving knot during a 2014 performance in the Varney Agency Kids Zone.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HEAD OVER HEELS FOR WHOOPIE PIES — The Varney Agency Kids Zone enables youngsters to burn off some of their whoopie pie calories with various games and activities. This year the area will again be located on the Varney Agency property on East Main Street.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
NOT SAVORING THE FLAVOR — Entrants in the 12 and under whoopie pie eating contest were able to forget their table manners as they competed to see who could eat a whoopie pie and a half the fastest as part of the 2015 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival in Dover-Foxcroft. This year’s festival, the eighth annual, will feature a new layout across Pleasant and East Main streets downtown as well as longer hours with the event taking place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees will be able to get into the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival through three entrance gates via a reduced admission fee thanks to the generosity of festival sponsors with children 12 and under getting in at no charge.
Observer file photo/Keri Foster
BURNING CALORIES FOR WHOOPIE PIES — Over 50 participants took part in the Piscataquis Regional YMCA’s annual Earn Your Whoopie Pie 3K before the start of the 2015 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. This year’s race at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday will have a new starting point in the parking lot by River Street, traveling down to Essex Street and then up Fairview Avenue. From there entrants will head down Summer Street and ran on North and East Main streets to the finish line by the Center Theatre and Center Coffee House.
Observer file photo/Keri Foster
MINIATURE WHOOPIE PIE RUNNERS — Children 12 and under can run in the Piscataquis Regional YMCA’s annual Kids 1K Fun Run to kick off the 2016 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 25. This year’s race will start in the downtown Dover-Foxcroft parking lot, with the route traveling down and back along River Street.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
EYE ON THE BALLS — Comedy juggler Bryson Lang performs his double dodge ball trick during the 2014 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AT THE GATES — The line to get into an entrance at last year’s Maine Whoopie Pie Festival stretches down the street in downtown Dover-Foxcroft prior to the 10 a.m. opening. This year gates will be located at the corner of East Main and Court streets, the corner of Court and Pleasant streets and in front of the Dover True Value building adjacent to the music stage.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HELLO YELLOW BRICK ROAD — Gerald Brann, a 1986 graduate of Foxcroft Academy, performs with Yellow Brick Road … A Tribute to Elton John during the 2015 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival. This year Sharon Hood and Dixon Road and Willicker will perform on the festival stage.
‘Whoopie pie’ book sale at library
DOVER-FOXCROFT — A “whoopie pie” 10-cent book sale will held at the Thompson Free Library on 186 East Main Street. The sale runs on Thursday, June 23 from noon to 7 p.m; Friday, June 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included in the sale are weeded and donated pre-read hardcovers and paperback books, children’s and young adult books, audiobooks, videos and DVDs, jigsaw puzzles and cookbooks. Please call the library at 564-3350 for more information.