Annual Pie Party Expecting To Feature 175 Pies This Sunday

Pie Perspective (Flickr: Lisa Williams)

Tucson’s annual Pie Party started as a small event for a group of friends that (clearly) are very into pie and giving back to community groups.

Now in its twelfth year, the Pie Party, presented this year by 4th Avenue’s Food Conspiracy Co-op, is a city-wide event that celebrates pie, community, and a handful of local non-profit organizations.

The Pie Party, which is open to the public, will take place Sunday, April 12, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the YWCA at 525 North Bonita Avenue. Anyone wishing to donate pie will receive two tickets ($5 value). Pie will be judged in the following categories: fruit, cream, vegan, other, and wheat free. If you’re feeling shy about your baking skills, you can simply donate and skip the judging.

If you’re feeling confident and want to donate a pie of your making, you had better get baking. Participants are required to drop off pies between 11am and 12pm at the YWCA before the Pie Party begins at 3pm. Attendees can expect to donate $3 a slice or $5 for two slices.

“Our goal,” said Pie Party organizer Lori Adkison, “by bringing back the pie contest and asking home bakers and local businesses to donate pies, is to have 175 pies of all varieties to share with our pie loving community.”

The contestant who bakes and wins “Best of Show” will select the nonprofit to receive half of the profits from the Pie Party. The other half of the proceeds will go to the nonprofit that receives the most votes from everyone who buys a ticket, affectionately titled the “People’s Pie” award.

If you think your baking skills need some work, the Food Conspiracy Co-op is hosting a Pie-Crust Class with prior contest winners Rachel Wilson and Lori Adkison. You can pre-register on Food Conspiracy’s website.

The participating nonprofit organizations include The HAPPY Org, Farm Resource Education Network (FERN), Ironwood Tree Experience, Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting Network, and Living Streets Alliance.

Visit the Pie Party Facebook Page or the foodconspiracy.coop for more information.