Winners of apple pie contests at Warwick Applefest 2016 announced
| 11 Oct 2016 | 03:30
Photos by Louise Hutchison The kids participating in the Applefest youth Pie Eating Contest a few minutes before the start.
Winner of the youth Pie Eating Contest, Kaylin Marichal of Howard Beach, finished her small apple pie in 2:10. She is congratulated by Leslie Noble of Noble Pies.
Participants in this year's Applefest adult Pie Eating Contest found it to be hilarious, challenging and quite filling.
Winners of the Applefest apple pie baking contest are (from left): Jessica Lepore, first place; Nicole Buonforte, third place; and Christine Persico, mother of Riley Persico, who won the junior division. (Second place winner Melanie Kolacy was not present for the photo.)
Winner of the adult Pie Eating Contest, Eddie Cullari of Warwick, finished his large apple pie in 3:17. Eddie is congratulated by Leslie Noble and Tom Hermann of Noble Pies.
WARWICK — Noble Pies of Warwick judged the Apple Pie Baking Contest and hosted the Apple Pie Eating Contest at Warwick Applefest on Sunday, October 2.
For many years, the pie baking contest has been a tradition for local bakers and others in the Hudson Valley. There are divisions for young bakers and amateur adults, and a ribbon is awarded for the most creative pie.
Winners of Pie Baking Contest
Senior Division• First place: Jessica Lepore, Belle Harbor
• Second place: Melanie Kolacy, Warwick
• Third place: Nicole Buonforte, Warwick
• Most Creative: Karen Miller, Warwick
Junior Division
• First place and Most Creative: Riley Persico (only one entry in junior division)
After the contest, the pies are sliced and sold to the public to benefit the Warwick Ecumenical Food Pantry.
This year, the Applefest Committee will present a donation of $246 to the Food Pantry, with proceeds from sales of pie slices and contest entry fees.
After the Pie Baking Contest winners were announced, excitement began to build for the Pie Eating Contest, with a youth competition and an adult competition. The contest requires eating an apple pie during a ten minute time limit, with no hands allowed. The crowd cheered as the contestants dug in and ate their pies as quickly as possible.
Winners of Pie Eating Contests
• Child Division: Kaylin Marichal, Howard Beach in 2:10.• Adult Division: Eddie Cullari, Warwick in 3:17.
Winners of both contests will receive a free pie per month for three months.
Noble Pies, owned by Leslie Noble and Tom Herman, has been making homemade pies since 2008 in the Warwick area.
Their retail location, at 121 State Route 94 S, Warwick, sells a variety of baked goods, with a small cafe serving pies by the slice.