Frequently Asked Questions

  • I just want to eat pie. What do I do?
    • Come join us on November 2, 2024 from 2 pm to 5 pm at Ray Elementary School (5631 S Kimbark Ave)! Bring your family and friends!
  • If I don’t live in Hyde Park, can I still participate?
    • Absolutely! Our event highlights Chicago’s South Side: its bakers, beautiful parks,  restaurants and restaurateurs. But anyone is welcome to enter their pie in the challenge. Most entrants are South Side bakers but North Siders are welcome to bake too. And we have had some folks come from pretty far away, like Michigan.
  • Is this event kid friendly?
    • Sure! The South Side Pie Challenge is a fun community event for all ages! We will have musical entertainment and lots of joy. And did we mention pie?
  • I want to make a pie with MERINGUE, is that okay?
    • NO.  For health and safety reasons we can’t accept anything with meringue topping. Please use WHIPPED CREAM instead.
  • How do I get my pie to you?
    • Just deliver TWO IDENTICAL PIES in disposable pie pans to the Ray Elementary School, 5631 S. Kimbark Ave, between the hours of 9:00 am and 10:30 am on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
  • Why do I need to submit two pies?
    • We need two pies from each contestant so that appearance of the whole pie can be judged as well as the slice. Also, we always get a good crowd of pie enthusiasts so we need a lot of pies!
  • When does registration close?
    • Friday, October 27, 2024 at 11:59 pm.
  • Is this a pie eating contest?
    • No, it’s pie BAKING contest open to all amateur bakers. But pie eating will be happening as well, so even if you don’t want to bake, come down to taste delicious pies entered in the challenge. All pies will be sold to the public at $5 per slice.
  • Should the pie be warm or refrigerated?
    • This is up to each baker. Just keep in mind that we have no way to heat up or refrigerate the pies once they are dropped off. However, we do provide small ice packs for each cream pie.
  • Why do you ask that pies be baked in disposable pans?
    • We cannot guarantee the return of anyone’s pan to them after the event. We suggest aluminum/disposable pans. But if you don’t mind losing your pan, you are welcome to bake your pie in any kind of pan you wish. Just don’t count on getting the pan back. If you’d like to increase the chance that you get it back, put your phone number on the bottom.
  • Why do I need to pay an entry fee?
    • We are raising money for a good cause! Registration fees and proceeds from pie sales go to the Hyde Park/Kenwood Hunger Programs, which have been helping out neighbors in need for decades. Thank you!
  • What if I have food allergies?
    • The pies may contain various possible allergy-inducing food items, such as nuts or eggs or dairy. We cannot be responsible for individual allergy problems. People with food allergies are encouraged to use their own judgment when purchasing a slice a pie, or perhaps just make a donation to the Hyde Park/Kenwood Hunger Programs.

If you have any questions that have not been answered here, please email us at southsidepie@gmail.com