Chatham Area Business and Arts Blog

Bake-Off Contest rules and regulations

There are two categories for judging- one for kids (under 16) and one for adults. You do not need to be a Chatham resident.

• You must be an amateur (home baker).
• There will be awards for the following categories (with each age group)-
  • Cakes and Cupcakes
  • Pies
  • Cookies
  • Other
• You may sign up in advance – and if you do, we will remind you as the event approaches. Is it not mandatory that you sign up in advance, but submissions must be brought to the tent on July 8th by 12:00 noon. Judging will happen at 12:15pm and winners will be announced at 2:00pm. Submission must be labeled with your full name and phone number.
• Baked goods must have at least 5 servings, so that the judges can each taste the entry.
• Contestants are to drop off their entries between 11:00-11:30am at Berkshire Bank, 52 Main Street.
• Entries will be based on taste, appearance, and consistency. There will be 1st place awardsfor each category and also a “fan favorite” where the community votes based on appearance.

Register for the Great Chatham Bake-Off

Pie-eating contest rules and regulations

Saturday, July 8
Begins at noon

To be held in front of Main Street Goodness, 20 Main Street.

There will be two contests – one for kids up to age 16 and one for adults 17 and older.

Please sign up with your name, email, and age group. Delicious pies will be provided by our own Pieconic, and please note that flavors may not be determined until day of, so if you have any allergies or intolerances, please keep that in mind. This contest is messy, so please wear clothes that you can get pie on!

The contest will be to see who can finish their pie first, without using their hands (which will be tied behind your back).

Register for the Pie Eating Contest

On Saturday, July 8th, Chatham welcomes back Summerfest, a fun summer festival for all ages on the village’s charming Main Street. Presented by Metzwood Insurance, this year’s festival runs from 11:00-4:00 and boasts live music, an incredible list of vendors, and lots of activities.

Music

Summerfest’s two main stages are located at either end of the festival- one at Chatham Brewery at 59 Main Street (hosting Rich Hallenbeck’s new band, The Landing Party from 1:00-3:00) and the other at Yanni’s Restaurant at 29 Hudson Avenue (hosting Joe Adee and The Lugnuts from 1:00-4:00). In addition, The Garage at Chatham, an arts series here in the village will bring a first-class strings performance to the festival.

Contests

A pie-eating contest (one for adults and one for the under-16 set), sponsored by Chatham’s own Pieconic, promises to be lots of messy fun, and the village invites all anyone and everyone (of all levels and ages) to show off their baking skills and compete for the blue ribbon in The Great Chatham Bake-Off.

Entertainment for Kids

There will lots of entertainment for the kids- miniature horses from the High & Mighty Therapeutic Riding Center, a strolling magician, tie-dying at Off the Rails, children’s games from the 1800’s and a scavenger hunt, courtesy of the Columbia County Historical Society, a prize wheel with the Chatham Area Girl Scouts, and stage action class and theater games from Zoe Wohlfeld of The Rooted Voyagers. The historic Crandell Theater will have two free events for all ages- the movie Annie will be shown at 1:00pm and the Columbia County Youth Theater will put on a free performance of Could You Hug a Cactus, a musical for all ages, at the Crandell at 11:00am. And Summerfest wouldn’t be complete without a fire engine for the young kids to check out.

Come hungry, because the local restaurants Bimi’s Cheese Shop, Chatham Brewery, Napoli Pizza and Cucina (who will be serving pizza on their patio), Chatham Grill (who will have a margarita tent outside), and Fiesta Café, will be open during the festival. Or stay and have drinks or dinner in the village afterwards, at Blue Plate, People’s Pub, or the newly opened Bimi’s Canteen & Bar. And it wouldn’t be a festival without “fair food”, so we’ll have plenty of food trucks, including mini doughnuts from Adirondack Kettle Corn, the Chuckwagon, Pixie Floss Cotton Candy, and The Hungry Traveler.

Please note: Attendees wishing to join in the pie-eating contest or The Great Chatham Bake Off, please sign up in advance.