Above: You don’t need to be famished to enjoy the annual pie eating contest. But it probably helps. (photo by Beth Melo)
There are plenty of tempting treats on the field at Southborough’s annual Heritage Day. Vendors and exhibitors will be selling food during and after the 10 am parade. But some attendees will be saving their appetites for noon.
Troop 92 will be putting out free Table Top snack pies at that time.* But it’s not a craving for apple, blueberry, peach, cherry, or even eclair pies that will be driving people over to the Boy Scouts’ booth. It’s the desire to win.
Heritage Day is the setting for the annual Pie Eating Contest.
Troop 92 Boy Scouts have been holding the contest as part of Heritage Day for about five years. It’s a sight to behold. . . if you can stomach it. (It’s a lot of fun, but not exactly a pretty sight.)
This contest isn’t about how much you can eat. It’s how quickly. Contestants are challenged to be the first to fully devour the contents of his/her individual sized pie tin. And, as you can see from the picture above, no forks – or hands – are involved.
Organizers split the contest in three “heats”: up to 12 year olds, 12 to 17 year olds, and age 18 and over. To participate, contestants need to sign up by 11:30 am that day.
Registration is at Troop 92’s booth. (While you’re there, you can support the Southborough Food Pantry by buying something from the troop’s bake sale.)
Entering the contest is free. And winners each get a $25 gift card. But from what I’ve seen, I think it’s really the bragging rights that draws in competitors.
*Table Top deserves a shout out for donating the pies every year.
[Editor’s Note: For more stories on Heritage Day 2017 and related activities, click here.]
