They take their pie seriously in Braham, Minneosta.
Braham was officially named the “Homemade Pie Capital of Minnesota” by Gov. Rudy Perpich in 1990. But the town’s fame for pie goes back to the 1930s and 40s when folks would drive to their lake homes, taking the “shortcut to Duluth through Braham.” After driving from the Twin Cities they would stop at the Park Cafe for pie and coffee.
To honor this aspect of Barham’s community narrative, Pie Day began in 1990 as a pie and ice cream social in July, funded by a tourism grant for festivals celebrating a community focus after the 4th of July.
In 1992 the date was changed to the first Friday in August when the Isanti County Historical Society became the organization in charge of the festival.
Now in its 13th year, the event has grown to include crafters, small quilts display, a pie art show, unique foods, performances and demonstrations from folk artists, story tellers, and musicians. There are also pie baking and pie eating contests, as well as a pie relay race.
The event has drawn over 5,000 people to this small town town (Population 1,276 – 2000 census) and enlisted 150 volunteers to bake and serve 525 baked fruit pies.
We speak with Valerie Errowsmith from Braham, about Braham as “Pie Capital” and its Pie Days that celebrates that distinction.
Also see: http://www.pieday.com
