• Deadline to register is March 18, 2020. 
• We are accepting 20 Professional Bakers on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• The $50 deposit is to secure your place as a Professional Baker Contestant. The deposit is REFUNDABLE for Bakers who participate in the contest by providing 2 pies and 1,000 samples. Bakers who do not participate will forfeit their deposit.  Deposits may be paid by credit card or check. Deposits will be refunded within 5 business days following the festival. 

1. Professional Bakers may enter up to two pies. The $50 deposit is required for each pie. 

2. Professional Bakers are responsible for providing the following for each pie entered into the contest:

· One whole finished pie for judging

· One whole finished pie for public display and charity auction

· 1,000 one-ounce samples of pie you are entering in the contest*

3. Once all professional contestants are confirmed, you will receive a Professional Baker Kit in the mail (shortly after March 18) containing:

· 1,000 two-ounce plastic cups

· 1,000 lids pre-stamped with your contestant number

· Detailed instructions for preparing the samples

· Information about festival location, accommodation options, booth set up, festival schedule, judging criteria, etc.

4. Professional Bakers will be provided a tented space (approximately 10x10) along with two chairs and two tables. You may bring additional tables, chairs, tablecloths and booth decorations.

5. Professional Bakers must be an owner/operator or authorized representative of an-Arkansas based restaurant, café, bakery, pie shop or business that sells pies on a commercial basis to the public. Must be a licensed Arkansas business to qualify.

6. Each Professional Baker will receive three contestant passes for those who will be staffing your booth. You will also receive two complimentary festival tickets. 

7. Professional Bakers may also bring pies by the slice or whole to sell from your booth to festival attendees. This can be the pie you are entering into the contest or other varieties.

8. This is a one-day festival held on Saturday, April 18, 2019, at the Town Center in the City of Cherokee Village. The festival begins at 10:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm. We will provide opportunities for contestants to set up early Saturday morning a few hours before the festival begins. Professional Baker Contestants will be required to maintain their booth presence until the festival ends at 4:00 pm.

*Detail About Pie Samples

· We are assuming a regular sized pie will yield about 50 samples or about 20 pies to meet the 1,000-sample requirement.

· Don’t panic though because bakers can utilize large baking sheets to produce the equivalent of 20 pies to make up your 1,000 samples. You don’t necessarily have to bake 20 individual pies. 

· Remember, the samples are meant to give festival attendees a tasting of the pie you have entered into the contest. Each sample should contain a little crust and pie filling.

· When you receive your Professional Baker Kit, we will also offer some suggestions for producing your samples.

· If you are unable to attend the festival please let us know as soon as possible so we can begin making arrangements to collect your samples and pies the day before the festival. 

· On the day of the festival, attendees will receive a Pie Card that they will present at each Professional Baker booth entitling them to one sample from each booth. Attendees will use their card and the corresponding number to vote for the “People’s Choice” award.

· The festival will provide small utensils and napkins for each booth to hand out with the samples.

If you have any questions or if we didn’t cover something here, please direct do not hesitate to contact us at info@arkansaspiefestival.com

We are excited to have you join us for the 2nd Arkansas Pie Festival!