Minnesota State Fair
The best time for fresh berry pie is when the fruit is ripe for the picking. Grab a fork and dig in at these Minnesota pie hubs where the seasonal fruit pie has been perfected, just don’t forget the whipped cream or ice cream.
Braham Pie Day
The “Homemade Pie Capital of Minnesota” of Braham, Minnesota, celebrates everything pie slammed into one pie-packed day. You’ll taste buttery crusts and delectable fillings with a pie baking contest, a pie auction, and several pie eating competitions. When you need to take a breather from all sweetness, enjoy recycled pie tin art, dance numbers, and musical performances. To satisfy your summer pie cravings, head over to downtown Braham on August 2.
Blueberry/Art Festival
Minnesota State Fair
You can have blueberry pie by the slice (with ice cream of course) or a whole pie for the family to share at this family-friendly festival in Ely, Minnesota. Beyond the mouthwatering pie, a variety of food is available for the whole crew to enjoy. Shop the art, crafts, jewelry, woodwork, leatherwork, and other products, or relax in the sun and listen to music. The festival has been established for decades, and is coming up this year on July 26-28.
Minnesota State Fair
What better place to fully appreciate pie in its full glory than the Great Minnesota Get-Together? This year, be sure to try the new a blueberry key lime pie, served with whipped cream and fresh blueberries and Sarah’s Tipsy Pies’ new gluten-free pecan pie infused with Irish whiskey. While at the fair (which runs from Aug. 22-Sept. 2), you can also check out the winning apple and blueberry pies from the baking competition.
Emily John Photography
Excelsior Apple Day
This festival in Excelsior celebrates something dear to every Minnesotan’s heart: the apple. Work up an appetite with the Park Nicollet Apple of the Lake 5K or 1-mile race on the morning of Sept. 21, and then grab a good ‘ole slice of apple pie. You also can see who made the best apple pie and view a pie-eating contest. Enjoy the beauty of the lake, too, as you peruse the street fair, art, antiques, and handcrafts. Top the day off with street dancing and live music by The Crown Jewels – A Tribute to Queen.
The North Shore
The pies up north are just as wonderful as the scenery, with a few can’t-miss stops to make. Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors serves famously delicious pies of all varieties, and no matter what type of fruit pie is your favorite, you’ll be sure to find something that fulfills your pie dreams. With fruit combos involving cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, and rhubarb, the only hard part will be eating just one slice. In Castle Danger, the Rustic Inn Café makes pies worth the drive. Choose from a long list of fruit fillings and enjoy the perfect pairing of a flaky crust, oat crumble, or a butter crumb topping.
To taste more pies across Minnesota, check out The Best Road-Trip Pies in Greater MN (and WI)
