The 47th Annual Apple Pie Crafts Fair on Saturday in Newport attracted an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people to the Newport Town Common to enjoy more than 100 booths of handmade crafts, live music, food trucks, and lots and lots of pie.
The slightly cool, overcast day was perfect for lingering at the fair, shopping, eating, and visiting with friends. 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. Each year, the contest attracts some of the top home bakers in the region, and the first twelve 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, the following were chosen for the honor: Newport Economic Development Coordinator Christine Benner, Sugar River Bank President Mark Pitkin, and baking extraordinaire Paule Cote. These three took on the task of tasting all 12 pies and judging them on their impressions of the overall appearance, taste, and texture of each contest pie.
The Library Arts Center is pleased to announce the contest winners:
— First prize: Sherry L. Menard of Newport.
— Second prize: Chuck Rissala of Newport.
— Third prize: Mary Dakin of Claremont.
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 150 pies donated for the sale were completely sold out before 10:30 a.m., with a long line when the sale began at 9 a.m. Though many disappointed fairgoers were dismayed about not getting a pie, the Library 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.
The Library Arts Center held a raffle for a full tray of the legendary apple squares sold at the fair, donated by lauded local baker Eunice Haight who generously bakes squares for the fair each year. More than 500 tickets were sold for the raffle, and the winning ticket drawn was for Eddie Bruno.
One of the attractions at the fair this year was a large-scale sidewalk chalk mural created on the large sidewalk just south of the post office by visiting artist-in-residence Katie Runde of Vermont. As a nod to Newport — the Sunshine Town — the mural depicted a young girl watering a garden of sunflowers. Onlookers were encouraged to create their own sidewalk chalk creations on the sidewalk surrounding. Most unfortunately, rainstorms that followed on Saturday night distorted the chalk masterpiece—as often happens with the temporary medium of chalk.
The Apple Pie Crafts Fair is presented annually by the Library Arts Center with sponsorship support from more than 30 local businesses, including 2021 premier sponsors Dolan Real Estate and Sturm, Ruger & Co., and help from more than 60 volunteers. For more information about the Apple Pie Crafts Fair, as well as Library Arts Center exhibits, classes and other programs visit libraryartscenter.org.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.