Celebrate National Pie Day in Maine

National Pie day is January 23, 2011, so it’s perfectly logical that the whole town of Rockland, Maine, goes “pie-wild” to celebrate. (After all, this is the town dubbed “Pie Town USA” by the Food Network when Bobby Flay visited for a pie throw down.)

Its seventh annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour features savory, sweet and healthy pies from 1 to 5 p.m. that day. The Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by Rockland businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town. Along with a collection of recipes to take home and samples of more than 45 different pies at restaurants and inns throughout Rockland, the inns will offer tours of common areas and some guest rooms.

Tickets for the Pies on Parade Inn-to-Inn Tour are $25 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under. Tickets are available from participating inns only (not at the additional participating Rockland businesses), and include a keepsake recipe collection and plenty of pie to sample. Order in advance at 877-762-4667.

Never attended a pie tour? This is not, ahem, your average pie-in-the-sky event. Rockland’s inns and restaurants will serve up everything from Shepherd’s Pie and a number of gourmet Pizza Pies to sweet and savory Italian Galettes and seafood pies. Look for fruit pies at the Berry Manor Inn and the Brown Bag. Captain Lindsey House will serve their signature Cornish Meat Pasties and LimeRock Inn will offer their tried-and-true Pizza Rustica and Key LimeRock pies. There’s even a healthy option using Fiore’s imported olive oils. Each of the participating venues will serve both a savory and sweet pie, including a number of unusual galettes, tarts and quiches too.

To date some 22 venues, have signed on and the list is growing.

While walking between venues helps to burn calories, All Aboard Trolley will provide trolley service at designated stops. Tour participants are encouraged to park at the Lincoln Street Center for the Arts, 24 Lincoln Street, Rockland, Maine, then walk or catch the trolley to restaurants or inns from there.

If you don’t want to head home, ummm, pie-eyed, consider one of the overnight packages created by Historic Inns of Rockland — especially since they include two tickets to the Pie-a-Thon (no worries about it selling out before you snag a spot). For more information, go online.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry.

WHAT: Pie-a-Thon
WHEN: 1-5 p.m. January 23, 2011
WHERE: Rockland, Maine (map)
TICKETS: $25 for adults, $10 for children 10 and under

(Photo courtesy of Historic Inns of Rockland)