Several years ago, the Food Network caught wind of the annual “Pie Tour” organized by the Historic Inns of Rockland, a consortium of Rockland, Maine’s premier inns. They sent a crew to film a segment of Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and dubbed Rockland “Pie Town USA”. This month, for the 14th year in a row, Rockland, Maine is living up to its name. Planning is in high gear for the 14th annual pie-a-thon – called Pies on Parade – to celebrate National Pie Day (National Pie Day is celebrated each year on Jan 23rd). The whole town of Rockland, ME will go pie-crazy on Sunday, January 28, 2018 from 1:00 – 4:00pm when the Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by as many as 23 additional Rockland and Camden, Maine businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town for the 14th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour. Ready to try some pie? How about 50 or so different kinds, as each business traditionally serves up at least one savory and one sweet pie. What better way can you think of to spend a January Sunday on the coast of Maine. Better arrive hungry!
Pies on Parade tickets sell out quickly; in fact, there are only about 150 or so left at this point. The best way to get yours is through Pies on Parade lodging packages offered by the three Historic Inns of Rockland (Berry Manor Inn, LimeRock Inn and Granite Inn) and participating Camden inns including the Hawthorn Inn. Packages include guaranteed tickets, special extras like wine and pie pairings, the new Camden Scavenger Hunt, other special Saturday events, admittance to a Silent Auction and pie celebration on Saturday evening and two personal pies awaiting your arrival. For complete information on lodging packages, visit http://historicinnsofrockland.com/pies-on-parade/.
Day tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children ten and under, and all funds from tickets sales go directly to the local food pantry. Tickets are available from participating inns, by calling 207-596-6611 to reserve ahead or by purchasing online at www.PiesonParade.com . Since tickets will sell out once again this year, it’s a good idea to call soon to reserve your chance to enjoy this fabulous pie-a-thon. Special Pies on Parade packages, including tickets to the Pie Tour, can be booked at participating inns now until they are sold out. That’s the best way to insure you’ll be able to attend this delicious event.
Can you believe that you can eat 50+ different kinds of pie? And these aren’t just any pies either. Move aside Mom’s apple pie, Rockland’s inns, businesses and restaurants will serve up everything from Shepherd’s Pie and gourmet pizza pies to sweet and savory galettes, egg pies, whoopie pies and the signature Key LimeRock Pie at the LimeRock Inn. There will even be gluten free pies served at Rockland’s own Bixby & Co Chocolate Bars, and each year we even see a healthy pie or two, served at Fiore Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars. Yet if your idea of a great pie is one of the age-old favorites, fear not. You’ll also enjoy some of the more traditional fruit pies like apple, raspberry and blueberry pie along with savory egg pies at the Berry Manor Inn and perhaps a Cranberry Apple Pie or a delicious crab quiche at the Granite Inn. In the past, there’ve been everything from grilled pies to pot pies to tarts to believe it or not – healthy pies made with stevia, fresh lavender and yogurt. We’ll leave the pie-list up to your imagination until right before Pie Tour Day, but you can count on finding several pies you’ll just love. For a sneak peak of the pies on the tour, visit www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com a little closer to the event.
Not to be outdone by inns and restaurants, a number of additional Rockland and Camden, ME businesses have signed on for the “Pie-rade” including the Maine Lighthouse Museum, Maine Audubon Project Puffin Visitor Center, Rockland’s Rotary Pizza and Bartlett Woods Retirement Community in Rockland plus Hawthorn Inn, and Towne Motel in Camden. Plus, while walking between venues helps to burn calories, All Aboard Trolley provide transportation at designated stops, making it more efficient to hit as many pie stops as possible, especially those on either end of town.
Plus, new this year! Camden businesses will host a scavenger hunt/trivia contest in conjunction with the Pie Tour to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the filming in Camden of Peyton Place. Spend Saturday afternoon watching the Peyton Place film at the Camden library, walking around downtown Camden looking for clues, and eating pie. Submit your completed entry form for a chance to win a grand prize raffle valued over $1,200 which includes lodging, dinner, and merchandise from your favorite Camden businesses. The Saturday scavenger hunt tickets are $15 per person with children under 10 free. All monies go to AIO to help feed and provide heat for the Midcoast Maine community. Tickets are available at the Hawthorn Inn in Camden or at www.PiesonParade.com.
The whole idea behind this event is to allow hungry Maine families to eat pie too. All proceeds from the entire Pies on Parade weekend benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach (AIO) Food Pantry & Fuel Assistance Program. Over the past thirteen years of this event’s legacy, more than $160,000 has been donated to AIO’s Food Pantry from this event to help provide food for Midcoast families. Pies on Parade is the food pantry’s largest fundraiser of the year, providing enough funds to feed 100 hungry families for a full year. Each participating business donates all their materials and time, so that 100-percent of the proceeds from Pies on Parade can go to the food pantry to feed hungry Midcoast families. Maritime Energy matches up to $2000 for the AIO Fuel Assistance program collected through some of the weekend’s events and oil can collection jars too.
Why go home pie-eyed at the end of the event? The Historic Inns of Rockland suggest a number of different Pie Tour survival tips, including a warning to not drive home under the influence of pie! Plan to take advantage of one of the Pie Tour lodging packages too.
Pies on Parade is presented by the Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine with help from broadcast sponsor Blueberry Broadcasting, Maritime Energy, All Aboard Trolley and Downtown Camden business group. For more information call 207-596-6611 or purchase tickets online at www.PiesonParade.com.
