UPDATE: This fest has been canceled due to high winds forecast for Sunday.
BUCKTOWN — An apple pie festival and competitive eating competition will replace Friends of Holstein Park's annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest.
Set for 1-4 p.m. Sunday, the event in Senior Citizens Memorial Park, 2238 N. Oakley Ave. will feature slices of fresh homemade pie donated by past Bucktown Apple Pie Contest contestants, live music from Dan Whitaker and the Shinebenders, kids activities and coffee from Ipsento and Red June Cafe.
New this year: raffles throughout the event for professional pies and gift certificates from Bang Bang Pie Shop, The Chopping Block, Rustic Tart and Spinning J. — plus adult and junior pie eating contests.
Winners of the pie eating contests "will enjoy a belly full of pie and prizes donated by the Chicago Bears, Bulls and Cubs," according to a news release.
Sponsored by Fresh Market Place, Sergio & Banks Real Estate and Liquid Gold Design & Print, the event is free to attend, with proceeds from apple pie slices and the raffles going to park improvements, as the 104-year-old Holstein Park field house undergoes long-awaited renovations.
The field house where the apple pie contest has been held since its inception in 2004 (with the exception of 2015) closed earlier this month and will reopen next year.
"This is a great opportunity to practice your baking skills for next year’s contest in the beautifully updated field house. This is also a great chance for those aspiring cooks to get in the kitchen with mom and dad and meet your neighbors," volunteer event organizer Diana Sbarbaro wrote in an email.
To donate a pie, email Friends of Holstein Park.
For more info on the Bucktown Apple Pie Festival, visit its website.
