By FRAN HUOT
NEWPORT — You absolutely could not have “ordered” a more picture-perfect day on Saturday for the 46th Annual Apple Pie Crafts Fair and Richards Library Festival in downtown Newport.
The event attracted an estimated 5,000 people to the Newport Common to enjoy more than 130 booths of handmade crafts, live music, the firefighters’s famous chicken barbecue, and lots and lots of pie. The Fair is an annual favorite tradition that is a fundraiser for the Library Arts Center—a community arts center in Newport.
As always, one of the highlights of the Fair was the popular apple pie contest. The contest attracts some of the top home bakers in the region, and the first 12 entries are judged for the competition.
Each year, the Library Arts Center selects different community members to serve as judges for the contest. This year, chosen for the duty were Steve Smith—radio DJ of WCNL; Nancy Desmarais representing Fair sponsor Goodrich Oil, and Greg Stout, representing Fair sponsor LaValley Building Supply. These three took on the task of tasting all 10 pies and judging them on their impressions of the overall appearance, taste, and texture.
This year, first prize went to: Patti Warren of Lebanon; second prize, Karla Elsaesser of Old Bridge, N.J., and third prize, Carol Dodge of Newport.
Winners were presented with prize ribbons and maple syrup from Stetson’s Sugarhouse, as well as bragging rights for the coming year.
In addition to the pie contest, the Fair boasts a huge pie sale to raise funds for Library Arts Center programs. Many of the pies donated are apple, but pies of all kinds are welcome.
The pie sale is always a sellout event, and this year was no exception. More than 250 pies donated for the sale were completely sold out before 11a.m. Though many disappointed Fairgoers were dismayed about not getting a pie, the Arts Center offered a number of apple treats at the ever-popular apple café—also located at “Pie Headquarters” at the Common’s Center. Apple crisp, apple pie, apple squares, and apple cider floats were popular choices.
Newporters have always understood the draw of this quintessential country fair on the town common, but this year, visitors came from all over New England to enjoy the festivities. The Fair was recently named one of the top fairs to visit in Boston Globe Magazine’s “Summer Weekend Fun Guide.” The Fair also saw an appearance from presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
The Apple Pie Crafts Fair is presented annually by the Library Arts Center with sponsorship support from more than 30 local groups and businesses, including 2019 premier sponsors Goodrich Oil and the Newport Sunshine Initiative, and help from more than 50 volunteers.
For more information about the Apple Pie Crafts Fair, as well as Library Arts Center exhibits, classes and other programs visit libraryartscenter.org
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