Pies Were Flying At Applefest

37th annual St. John Parish Applefest in Fenton

FENTON, Michigan -- It was apple pies galore at the St. John Parish 37th Applefest in Fenton this weekend.

The church's annual fundraiser sold more than 1,300 pies baked by volunteer parishioners to an estimated 15,000 attendants over four days. The proceeds from the $8 pastries went to community organizations along with all the money raised with the carnival games, concessions, gambling and a garage sale.

A highlight of the event was the apple pie contest, in which 25 people competed. The remainder of the pies were auctioned off.

The final vote in the competition was made by last year's winner, Lindsay Bandt, 10, of Fenton.

"They were all really good," she said after she finished judging.

The winners were Fenton residents Pam Nagy in first; Nicole Kilpatrick in second; and Sandy Tryles in third.

"It was the best," Bandt said about Nagy's apple crumb topping pie. "I could tell there was real butter in the crust when I tasted it. I knew it should be first."

Although Nagy's pie brought in $1,700 for the church, Kilpatrick's second-place pie, which was purchased by Sharp Funeral Home owner Roger Sharp, netted $2,300. Over the last 20 years, he has developed a reputation for purchasing the runner-up pie because initially he thought trying to lay claim to the winning pie was too much hassle.

"These people bid me up because they know I'm going to buy it. It's kind of fun," Sharp said.

He added that St. John’s, his home parish, has been very good to him and his business over the years, so he enjoys giving back.

In fact, he didn't even try a bite of his $2,300 pie, which he doled out to friends and family — nor has he ever.

"I don't even like pie," Sharp said.