Arts-Entertainment
Do you like pie? Could you use $300? The Shane Lalani Center for the Arts has a deal for you. As part of their Livingston Bluegrass Festival, they’re hosting a pie eating contest on Saturday, September 19th at the Blake Pavilion.
The festival kicks off Friday, Sept 18th at 6 pm with local favorites Montana Standard doing traditional bluegrass favorites followed by Damn Tall Buildings, a high-energy trio with a new spin on the genre.
The fun continues on Saturday, September 19th at 4 pm with the pie-eating contest. The Shane Center’s executive director Erika Adams says, “You won’t want to miss this good ole’ fashioned classic! Come cheer on fellow community members as they devour pies—or, if you think you have what it takes to throw your hat in the ring, sign up today. We’ll limit this to the first 25 folks who sign up on the website at www.theshanecenter.org.”
The winner will receive $300, a championship belt and ultimate bragging rights. The winner will be the first contestant to eat an entire pie down to the tin and the two top contestants of preliminary heats will advance to the championship round. Any pie lover 13 years or older can sign up for an entry fee of $10, which allows the contestant to stay and enjoy the bluegrass festival at a savings of over 60%.
Music will continue Saturday at 6 pm with Missoula favorite Release the Squirrels followed by the headliner, the legendary Special Consensus Band, featuring multiple Grammy nominee Greg Cahill and current IBMA bluegrass vocalist of the year Greg Blake.
The festival will be at the Henry E. Blake Pavilion Stage at the Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 415 E. Lewis Street in Livingston. Sponsors include Home2 Suites by Hilton, Walter and Regina Wunsch – Spectec, Marcia Bull McCrum in honor of Bliss McCrum, Carol Lalani in memory of Sal Lalani in partnership with Mighty Fine Time Live Events.
A two-day pass will be $50, and $55 at the door. A single day pass is $35, and $40 at the door. Kids 13 and under are free. There will be bike parking available on site and overflow parking at the Lincoln School just down the block. Tickets are available now at https://theshanecenter.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events.
Erika Adams added notes for the audience, “Keep your eyes on the pies! The front row might get hit with flying whipped cream – you have been warned. The first person to devour everything in this madcap race wins the prize!”