BAYFIELD, Wis. (KQDS-TV) — The City of Bayfield is one week away from celebrating this year’s 64th annual Apple Festival. Every year, the city’s best bakers put their best apple forward to see who has what it takes to make the best pie or apple dessert.
“This is our signature Apple Festival kick off event,” said Kati Anderson, the public relations manager of the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau. “Bayfield has such a great climate for growing apples. Which is why there has always been some kind of celebration in the fall around apples.”
Pies could be entered into 6 different categories; ranging between homemade baked pies and desserts, commercially baked pies and desserts, creative pies, and youth desserts. All pies entered can only used apples harvested locally in Bayfield.
“In Bayfield’s Fruit Loop, we have about a dozen apple orchards,” said Anderson. “We have, I think, over 40 varieties of apples that are grown in Bayfield.”
In this year’s contest, 28 pies were entered. It was up to the panel of judges to make the tough call to crown 6 desserts the best in each category.
Two of the judges making those calls were this year’s parade Grand Marshals, Marlene and Howard Paap.
“Pie is such a traditionally American, you know. It’s an old-fashioned dessert that I grew up with, and I love it,” said Howard. “I think of the apples, the orchards, what it took to get those apples in that pie shell. And then of course, the to me, much of the secret is in the crust. If it melts away and so on. I also think about the treat that lays before me.”
The couple have been married for over 60 years, spending the last 20 years living together in Bayfield. Marlene has even won the contest twice before. She’s looking for the pie that meets her high standards.
“What stands out is first of all is I look at the appearance of the pie. It’s well done, it’s laid out right,” said Marlene. “The texture means a lot in a pie. Then from there I look at the taste. Where the apples firm? Was it saucy?”
Bayfield’s 64th annual Apple Festival starts on Friday, October 2, and wraps up with the parade on Sunday, October 4.
Results of this year’s apple pie contest can be seen below.
Home-bake All-American Pie
Brittany Bonney – WinnerBeth Erickson – Runner up
Home-baked Apple Dessert
Debbie Allen – WinnerKathy Fischer – Runner up
Home-baked Creative Apple Pie
Debbie Allen – WinnerCarol Marsh – Runner up
Commercial Apple Pie
Casey Henrickson (Sweet Sailing) – WinnerBeta Bodin (Sweet Sailing) – Runner up
Commercial Apple Dessert
Sharon Johnson (Pier Plaza) – WinnerJanine Johnson (Pier Plaza) – Runner up
Youth Pie & Dessert
Sophia Tochalauski – WinnerElana Koch – Runner up
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