Pie lovers, bakers and families alike can get excited as the Arkansas Pie Festival returns Saturday, April 25, to the Cherokee Village Town Center. Fresh off its induction into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, the festival continues to rise as one of the state’s most distinctive and crowd-pleasing culinary events.
At the center of the celebration is a high-stakes baking competition featuring commercial bakers, home chefs and youth. AY Media Group President and Publisher Heather Baker is returning as a judge this year, and she’s bringing her dog, Charlie Brown, who won Best-in-Show during last year’s pet parade!
As an official qualifier for the World Food Championships, the overall winner of the baking competition will receive a coveted Golden Ticket and a chance to compete for a $100,000 prize. Arkansas bakers have already proven their skill on that stage, with standouts like Buttercream Bakery (Pocahontas) and Community Bakery (Little Rock) advancing to final rounds in recent years.
The festival goes far beyond pie judging. The day kicks off with the Pie Day 5k and unfolds with a packed lineup of activities, including pie tastings from bakeries across the state, a lively pie-eating contest, a pet parade, live entertainment, a kids zone, food trucks and a charity pie auction. Local vendors and small businesses will also be featured, highlighting the community-driven spirit that defines the event.
“This event is about more than pie, it’s about bringing people together,” said Jonathan Rhodes, festival co-founder. “Being recognized by the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame is a huge honor, but what makes this festival special is the people who show up year after year to celebrate, compete, and connect.”…