The Great American Pie Festival is being held next weekend, April 24-25, in Celebration, Florida and it is the place to be for pie lovers. The event is a huge one, held annually, and draws visitors from all over the country who love pie. The event has a couple of highlights. One of these is the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, featuring more than 50,000 slices of award-winning pies in a variety of flavors, as well as ice creams, toppings and beverages to pair with them.The other big draw is the Crisco® 2010 National Pie Championships. This pie contest typically draws almost 200 entries in three categories, junior, amateur and professional, and covering a huge range of pie flavors, from classic apple to decadent peanut butter. Best of Show winners in the amateur and professional divisions will each win $5,000, a new Sears Kenmore range and a Crisco gift basket, while the top winner in the Junior Chef division receive a $2000 college scholarship and a Crisco gift basket. There is also a commercial division where ribbons and bragging rights will be awarded. I’m going to be judging the amateur division this year and, as a big pie fan, I can’t wait.
If you live in or around the Orlando, Florida area, I have a 4-pack of free tickets to the Great American Pie Festival to give away! It’s a great chance to eat some (really good) pie and have a fun, food-filled day out. I’ll give the tickets out to a random winner, chosen from the comments below on Monday April 19th. If you want a chance to enter, simply name your favorite pie flavor and make sure that you either live in the area or want to take a little road trip down there that weekend! Don’t forget to include your e-mail in the comment form so that I can contact the winner.
Note: Flights/Accommodations are not included, just a 4 pack of tickets to the event.
Update: Congrats to Carmen in FL who won the tickets to this event! Have fun at the festival Carmen!
Amber
April 15, 2010Do I have to choose only one favorite flavor? Blueberry cheese, lemon, key lime, apple strudel, cherry, pecan, coconut creme, the list goes on and on…! I didn’t know this festival even existed but I am a HUGE pie fan and now I’m totally going to go!
Regina
April 15, 2010I live in reasonable distance from Orlando. And I love pie. Especially Key Lime. =)
Suzie
April 15, 2010This sounds so exciting. I’m from Orlando and I had no idea about this festival. I can’t wait to check it out. I think a slice of warm apple pie has got to be my favorite.
suzie
April 15, 2010Want pie! Love pie!! Must Pie!!
Buffalo SEO
April 15, 2010Oh, if only I lived closer. Sunshine and Pie!
Ryan
April 15, 2010Ooooh, very nice. I have a friend down there I’ve been meaning to visit and this would be a lot of fun for us.
And who doesn’t love pie?
Cathy
April 15, 2010Thanks for telling me about this festival! I live in Orlando and I love pie. Generally, pecan is my favorite, but lately I’ve been craving good old apple with lots of cinnamon!
Donna
April 15, 2010Pie has got to be one of my most favorite desserts. At the top of the list fruit pies. To narrow it down still further….I have a recipe from Southern Living Magazine for a spiced blueberry that is to die for. My husband and I are older and always watching what we eat. It would be a real treat to sample pies for a day with wild abandon!
Kristyn
April 17, 2010I definitely want to go to this! I live north of Orlando so it would be a lot of fun to go to a cooking event.
My favorite pie? Can I just have them all? Heh, I’ve been stuck on key lime flavors lately, probably because its almost summer and I love bright citrus flavors (my fiancee is probably tired of my lemon ice addiction).
But if I had to think, probably some kind of ice cream, caramel, nut, chocolate pie mix. Ice cream pie, that so counts right?
Susan
April 17, 2010Blueberry pie hands down is my favorites coupled with vanilla ice cream ! I would love to win this! Im not from the orlando but I will be down there for that weekend!
Oswald Ramirez
April 17, 2010My favorite pie is my mother’s carrot pie. Its made just like pumpkin or sweet potato but it is an interesting twist. I live in the Orlando but I must find a ride to the event. Someone at UCF must surely be going to this event I can share a ride with. Hopefully.
Chris M.
April 17, 2010Apple! Road trip!! I’m all for it.
Pete
April 17, 2010Chocolate cream pie. Reminds me of childhood.
Carolyne
April 18, 2010Mmmm I’d love to go! Pumpkin pie is my all-time favorite, but I’m sure there’d be alot of new varieties to try at this festival =P
Cecilia
April 18, 2010I love a great fresh cherry pie. I’m in the Orlando area and I hope they have lots of versions of cherry pie to sample.
Jamie
April 18, 2010I’m from the area, and would love to go. I love a good key lime pie — sweet, tart and creamy.
Amber
April 18, 2010I live nearby and would love to check this out! I like all kinds of pie, but my favorite is def. pumpkin.
Carmen
April 19, 2010My best friend looooves pie. In fact, he considered having pie for his wedding instead of cake! This is the perfect event for us to go to and can’t believe this is the first time I’m hearing about it. His sister lives in Orlando so we’re roadtripping up there from Miami this weekend especially for pie (don’t etll her that). My favorite is sweet potato while he looooves pretty much every kind including apple (any style crust or top), key lime, blueberry, and cherry. I’m hoping to broaden my tastes this weekend and finally satiating his. 🙂 See you then!
Meg W
April 19, 2010Apple pie is my favorite. I went one year and made sure to run 10 miles before so i would not feel so guilty.
Selina
April 19, 2010Triple berry warmed up w/ vanilla ice cream. MMMMM!!!!
sparklyathlete
April 19, 2010i hope it’s not too late to enter….im north of orlando and would absolutely love to attend!
sparklyathlete
April 19, 2010ps. apple pie a la mode!