Apple Pie Contest
The 2025 Apple Pie Contest will be held on Saturday, November 8 at 2:00 pm. Visit our calendar page for full details and registration.
RULES:
- All pies are to be homemade, with a homemade double crust.
- Pie filling must be just apples, with no other fruit such as raisins, cranberries, etc. with the exception of flavorings such as citrus juice or zest.
- Recipe must accompany the pie, including the type of apple(s) used.
- Contestants pre-register online on or before November 3.
- Contestants are asked to bring pies promptly at 1 PM when the library opens.
- Judging will be held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
- Winners will be announced following the judging with ribbons and prizes awarded.
The 2024 contest recap:
The Annual Apple Pie Contest is one of those delightful community traditions that brings together the warmth of home-baked goods, friendly competition, and a lot of laughter. This year, the event was bigger and better than ever, with 125 participants, 16 mouth-watering pies, an eager group of judges and a fabulous group of volunteers. Whether you're a pie aficionado or just a lover of community spirit, this year’s contest was a sweet success from start to finish.
The Contestants: 16 Pies, 16 Stories
Each year, the contest brings out the best in local bakers—many of whom have been perfecting their apple pie recipes for years, while others are first-time participants eager to share their creations with the community. The 16 pies entered this year varied in appearance as well as apple choices. Apples used this year were: Cortland, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Macintosh, Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, and Macoun.
Above: A selection of the 16 incredible apple pies entered into this year's contest. Each pie containing very similar ingredients, presents with such variety.
The Judges: A Tough Job, But Someone Had to Do It
Judging a pie contest might sound like a dream job, but as any true pie enthusiast will tell you, it’s a lot harder than it seems! This year’s panel of judges included a local chef, local high school principal, library trustee and and even last year's winner.
2024 Judges (from left to right):
Adam Schertzer, Commercial Real Estate Agent, Chelmsford Library Trustee and also known as "Silas the Sorcerer" from PJ Storytime
Patricia Enwright, Last year's winner, resident of Chelmsford
Stephen Murray, Lifelong resident of Chelmsford, Work at the High School as the Principal, Coached HS and middle school travel basketball, and has two kids both of whom attended MANY children’s programs at the Chelmsford Library when they were younger.
Diane Manteca, Has been teaching cooking for over 35 years, and currently teaches classes at Chelmsford Community Education. Has catered, owned a small restaurant called the Brickyard Cafe in Cambridge, had a pesto/tapenade business, and has been a chef in a couple of high end establishments. She has a YouTube channel called Diane's World Kitchen and cooks dishes from around the world.
The judges were tasked with rating the pies on three criteria: flavor, presentation, and crust. With 16 pies to try, it took all their expertise to sift through the different textures and tastes to determine the winners. Every bite was met with thoughtful discussion—crusts were critiqued for their flakiness, fillings for their balance of sweetness and tartness, and decorations for their creativity.
The Winners: The Best of the Best
After much deliberation (and plenty of pie!), the judges announced this year's top three winners.
1st Place:
Kristen Dillon with Pie #2
- A beautifully presented classic apple pie with a buttery, golden crust and a perfect balance of Golden delicious, Cortland and Honeycrisp apples.
2nd Place:
Kim Money Priddy with Pie #15
3rd Place:
MaryAnne Pellegrini with Pie #14
A Community Tradition
The annual apple pie contest is more than just a competition—it’s a celebration of the community’s spirit, creativity, and love for homemade goodness. This year, we saw an incredible turnout of 125 participants, many of whom attended with their families to cheer on their favorite pie makers. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as people swapped stories about their secret ingredients as they tried the many pies.
People's Choice awards
Four local stores were represented for a store-bought challenge. This year, the favorites in order:
- Whole Foods
- Costco
- Donelan's
- Wegmans
The public also got to vote for the homemade pies! The people's choice award this year went to: Kristen Dillon with pie #2! (The public agree with the judges!)
Thank you to all the participants, judges, and volunteers who made this event so memorable. We can’t wait to see you again next year—and to taste your next apple pie masterpiece! A heartfelt thanks to the Chelmsford Friends of the Library for supporting this event.