Maine’s beloved Whoopie Pie Festival will return June 22 with live wrestling and a record number of bakers from around the state.
The festival draws about 7,000 people to downtown Dover-Foxcroft each summer. Patrick Myers, executive director of the Center Theatre, which organizes the event with the Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce, expects a similar turnout this year with 23 bakers signed up.
“In years past, there haven’t been enough whoopie pies near the end of the festival, but that shouldn’t be a problem in 2024,” he said Friday.
The Whoopie Pie Festival will return for its 15th year with a few new draws, like a Limitless Wrestling show, and a “food court” dedicated to food trucks to space out offerings and relieve congestion downtown, Myers said. It’s the largest annual event in Piscataquis County, and ticket sales benefit the Center Theatre and Piscataquis Chamber of Commerce.
“I’m feeling pretty optimistic,” Myers said. There is always something unexpected, but after 15 years, we’ve seen a lot and our confidence is pretty high that we’re going to have a good festival.”
Last year, organizers launched VIP passes to get attendees closer access to the festival and past long lines, which will return this year, Myers said. The air-conditioned theater at 20 East Main St. will serve as a cooling center with free water provided by the Piscataquis Regional Food Center.
The festival is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 22. Admission is $6, though kids 12 years and under are free.
Ninety vendors, including artists and area organizations, will have booths set up at the festival. There will be chainsaw carving from Augusta-based Burns Bears, a magic show from Conjuring Carroll, and a kids area featuring bounce houses, pony rides and other activities.
Whoopie pie eating contests will return this year, including one for children 12 years and under at 11:45 a.m., one for teens at noon and one for adults at 12:15 p.m. in the True Value Hardware parking lot.
VIP parking passes, limited to 25-30 spots downtown with most already sold, are $50, which is double last year’s price. They are available online or by calling the theater. People can also purchase festival fast passes to skip long lines, which are $10 like last year, and tokens to sample whoopie pies.
“Small, incremental changes,” like raising the price of parking passes, are necessary to fund the festival as the cost of portable toilets, banners and other items have increased, Myers said.
Parking will also be available at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds. Two shuttles will travel back and forth from there to the festival to drop off attendees.
To buy VIP passes, tokens and find other information, visit the event’s website or call the theater at 207-564-8943.
