In response to another challenging COVID Holiday season without a Nederland Community Thanksgiving Dinner, the Nederland Community Library and Library Foundation hosted a smaller event on November 21, 2021, centered around an iconic Thanksgiving Table staple, the mighty pie!

The Pie Festival and Open House included a Pie Bake-Off (including a Literary category), live music with pianist Jim McVey and crafts for children, led by Library Assistant Jessie Ansari. Library Director, Elektra Greer felt it was a “wonderfully sweet way to kick-off the season,” and though she acknowledged there are always COVID fears in planning in-person programming, staff worked diligently to follow Boulder County public health guidelines. She added, “Mother Nature was kind with the temperate weather, so we could open our deck and all our windows, and, ultimately, seeing how many people showed up for the event, reminded us this was something many in our community really needed. To be together.”

Over 30 pies were entered into the contest, with almost a third of the entries being from youth contestants. Greer hopes this will become an annual event and patrons have already asked for a Bread Bake-off.

Greer said, “Although not everyone can receive a prize, I hope our bakers took time to look around them and see the joy their pies were bringing to our community. That makes every pie a Blue Ribbon Pie!”

Winners, Youth:

Jolie Turner - 1st Place in Literary, Sweet, Traditional and Gluten Free with her Wizard of Oz pie

Myla Yoh - 1st Place in Literary + Sweet, The Hungry (for Pie) Caterpillar Pie

Ruby Gustafson - 1st Place Sweet, Chocolate Berry Pie

Emmeline Rosenblum - 2nd Place Sweet, Lip Licking Lemon Lime Cheese Pie

Lizzy Karowe and Henry Schliff - 3rd Place Tie, Sweet with Lattice Berry Pie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie respectively

Winners, Adult:

Barbara Henderson - 1st Place In Sweet Category with Oregon Blackberry Pie

Julie Gustafson - 2nd Place in Sweet Category, Caramel Apple Pie, Fun fact: First pie completely devoured.

Patty Hunter - 1st Place Savoury, Breakfast Sausage Cheddar Apple Pie

Jack Partridge - 2nd Place Savoury + Best use of Monk’s Phunk + Vegan, Phunky Vegan Chik’n

Heather Williams - 1st Place Best use of Monk’s Phunk + Sweet, Phunky Chocolate Cream Pie

Susan Green - 2nd Place Best use of Monk’s Phunk + Sweet, Sweet Potato Monk Pie

Adelia Wong - 1st Place Triple Crown Winner + Savoury, Shepherdess Pie

Jodi Swartz - 1st Place Triple Crown Winner + Sweet, Apple Berry Ginger Snap Crumble

Christy Yoh - 1st Place in Literary + Sweet, Monster at the End of the Pie

Sandy Dannenberg - 2nd Place in Literary + Sweet, James and the Giant Sour Cream Peach Pie

Sara Higgins - 1st Place for Gluten Free Savoury with Spinach Pie, Fun Fact: Second pie completely devoured.

Sara Higgins - 1st Place for Gluten- Free Sweet, Chocolate French Silk Pie

WildCard Win:

Adelia Wong - Howl’s Moving Castle, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Greer concluded, “The library team was so thankful that so many people, especially our younger bakers, really put their hearts into creating such amazing pies for local residents. Though the competitive spirit was fun, the true nourishment was coming together as a community.”

Ones’ just desserts Above; Another slice for the road. There weren’t many leftovers. PHOTOS BY DAVE GIBSON[/caption]