Eagle Times Staff
NEWPORT, N.H. — The 50th Annual Apple Pie Crafts Fair on Saturday, Aug. 24 in Newport attracted an estimated 5,000 people to the Newport Town Common to enjoy around 130 booths of handmade crafts, live music, food vendors, and lots and lots of pie.
The warm, sunny 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 12 entries are judged for the competition. Contest rules stipulate only that apples be included as a main ingredient in the pies.
Each year, the Library Arts Center selects different community members to serve as judges for the contest. This year, in honor of the Fair’s 50th anniversary, the Fair committee invited past winners of the pie contest to serve as pie judges. The panel included judges Dianne Rochford, Karen Little and Melanie Page O’Sullivan. 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:
This year, First Prize went to Karla Elsaesser of Old Bridge, New Jersey
Second Prize went to Debi Hooper of Croydon
Third Prize went to 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. Over 300 pies donated for the sale were completely sold out before 11 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 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, as well as collectible mugs, pint glasses and T-shirts. Sales from all these items directly support the Library Arts Center.
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. Over 1,000 tickets were sold for the raffle.
The Apple Pie Crafts Fair is presented annually by the Library Arts Center with sponsorship support from more than 30 local businesses, including 2024 premiere sponsors LaValley Building Supply and Trusted Rentals. The Fair would not have been possible without help from more than 60 volunteers to help the Fair go smoothly. For more information about the Apple Pie Crafts Fair, as well as Library Arts Center exhibits, classes and other programs visit libraryartscenter.org.
