"Pietown USA" in Rockland, Maine Gears Up to Celebrate National Pie Day

Rockland, ME - Rockland, dubbed "Pie Town USA" by the Food Network when Bobby Flay visited for a pie throwdown, is living up to its name as planning is underway for the 7th annual pie-a-thon to celebrate National Pie Day, celebrated each year on January 23rd.

The whole town of Rockland, ME will go pie-crazy on Sunday, January 23, from 1:00 - 5:00pm when the Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by Rockland, ME businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town for the 7th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour .

Along with a wonderful 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 ten and under. Tickets sell out quickly, are available from participating inns only (not additional participating Rockland businesses), and include a keepsake recipe collection and plenty of pie to sample. To order tickets in advance, call 1-877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667) or 596-6611. This promises to be the biggest pie event in New England.

Never attended a pie tour? This is not your average pie-in-the-sky event. Move aside Mom's apple pie, Rockland's inns and restaurants will serve up everything from Shepherds Pie and a number of gourmet Pizza Pies to sweet and savory Italian Galletes, seafood pies, Whoopie Pies and the signature Key LimeRock Pie at the LimeRock Inn.

Of course, for those who still love the age-old favorites; look for Raspberry and Blueberry pie at the Berry Manor Inn and a newly developed Cranberry Apple Pie at the Granite Inn. Captain Lindsey House will serve their signature Cornish Meat Pasties too.

Best of all, fear not the packing on of pie pounds; Rockland businesses have added healthy pies (yes, there can be such a thing!) to the list. Last year, Rheal Day Spa served a "Not Too Sweet Sweet" Potato Pie (chosen for the antioxidant qualities of sweet potatoes and gluten free) and a Refined Sugar-free, Lavender, Honey & Yogurt Pie, defying all preconceived notions about "pie-ling" on calories from pies! Each of the participating venues will serve both a savory and sweet pie, including a number of unusual gallettes, tarts and quiches too.

Pies on Parade Pie Tour

To date nearly 20 venues, have signed on and the list is growing. To illustrate the variety of pies served, here's a list of the kinds of pies served last year. Pie makers from these and additional venues are still in the planning stages for the 2011 Pies on Parade Pie Tour:

Pastry Garden: serving Lemon Meringue Tartlets and Spinach Ricotta Pie

Amalfi on the Water: serving Seafood Pie and White Chocolate Mousse Pie

Caf� Miranda: serving Signature Mojo Pizza Pie

Lily's Bistro: serving Potato & Bacon and Peach Tart Tatan

Bricks: serving Navarro Pizza with Spinach, Chorizo and Mozz and White Chocolate Chip Macaroon Pie

Rheal Day Spa: (Healthy pies) Not too Sweet Potato Pie (gluten free) and Lavender, Honey & Yogurt Pie (no refined sugar)

Berry Manor Inn: serving Raspberry pie, Blueberry Pie and Savory pies

Captain Lindsey House: Cornish Pasties, Chocolate Silk Pie, Fruit Tarts

LimeRock Inn: Key LimeRock Pie and Pizza Rustica (Italian Meat) Pie

Granite Inn: serving Cheesy Breakfast Pie and Cranberry Apple Pie

Waterworks Restaurant: serving Shepherds Pie and Chocolate Mousse Cake Pie

Rustica: Sweet and Savory Italian Gallettes

?Rockland Caf�: Mini Whoopie Pies

Brown Bag: serving Mini Quiche and Fruit Tartlets

Thorndike Creamery: Ice cream surprise

Park Street Grille: Avocado, Chili & Roasted Tortilla Pie and Key Lime Tartlets

Project Puffin Visitor Center: Cream Puffin Pies

Sweets and Meats: serving Apple Walnut Currant and Blue Cheese Pie and Pecan Honey Pie.

$30,000 Donated to Help Feed Midcoast Families

Not to be outdone by inns and restaurants, a number of additional Rockland, ME businesses have signed on for the "Pie-rade" including SkinKlinic Day Spa and the Maine Lighthouse Museum.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry. With need at an all-time high, your participation becomes all the more important. Over the past six years, nearly $30,000 has been donated from this event to help provide food for Midcoast families. With this year's donation, Historic Inns of Rockland expect to make it to the $35,000 total donation mark.

While walking between venues helps to burn calories, All Aboard Trolley will provide trolley service at designated stops, making it more efficient to hit as many pie stops as possible. Tour goers are encouraged to park at the Lincoln Street Center for the Arts, chosen for its central location, then walk or catch the trolley to restaurants or inns from there.

Why go home pie-eyed at the end of the event? The Historic Inns of Rockland suggest a number of different Pie Tour survival tips, including a warning to not drive home under the influence of pie! The Historic Inns of Rockland have created a Pie Tour package which requires no designated pie tour driver. Join us in "Pie Town" to celebrate National Pie Day for a two night package (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday) that includes two nights' accommodations at any of the four Historic Inns of Rockland, daily breakfast and:

Two guaranteed tickets to the biggest pie event in New England
Two Personal Pies baked personally for you and presented at the inn
A collection of Pie Recipes from participating businesses
A 2011 commemorative Pies on Parade Poster
A $50 Midcoast Money voucher for dinner on Saturday
Top Tips for Surviving the Pie-Fest from Veteran Pie Paraders
New for 2011: Two tickets and exclusive tour of Owl's Head Transportation Museum on Saturday, 1/22 from 1-2:30 where pies will be paired with foreign autos by country of origin
Exclusive tour of Audubon's Project Puffin Center on Saturday, 1/22 from 2:30 - 3:00 pm featuring "Puff (in) Pastry Pies"
Invitation to a "Wine and Pie" tasting at the Wine Seller Saturday, from 3:30-5:30 pm with exclusive tasting from 3-3:30 pm for our guests
New for 2011: Complimentary access to Maine Lighthouse Museum opening on Sunday, 1/23 at 10am and featuring "Light Pies"

Two-Night Packages range from $345 to $495 single or double occupancy. Book a 3rd night and get 25% discount. One night packages are also available for Sunday, Jan 23 only including accommodations, a post-pie tour breakfast, two tickets to the Pie Tour, 2011 commemorative poster, two personally baked pies and the Top Tips for Surviving the Pie-Fest from Veteran Pie Paraders list all for $185-$260 single or double occupancy.

Recognized among the top ten eco-friendly inns in the U.S. by BedandBreakfast.com, and continuing their commitment as Certified Maine Hospitality Environmental Leaders, Historic Inns of Rockland will take the green theme beyond the Key Limerock Pie.

Tourgoers will enjoy pie served with totally natural and biodegradable, fully compostable plates made of all-natural sugar cane stalks and disposable silverware created from bio-based resins and potatoes. Waste from the event will be composted locally at participating inns. Wherever possible, pies will be made from locally purchased products. All proceeds will remain in Rockland to provide food and heating assistance for Midcoast Maine families through the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry.

For pie lovers and those seeking a romantic luxury getaway, there is no better choice for lodging than the Historic Inns of Rockland, a collection of four gracious inns, offering everything from business traveler-friendly to elegant accommodations, including LimeRock Inn, Granite Inn, Berry Manor Inn and Captain Lindsey House. Each distinctly different in their features, the Historic Inns of Rockland will provide the ideal base from which to enjoy Midcoast Maine's bounty.

For more information about Historic Inns of Rockland, please visit them on the web at www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com , consult each participating inn's website for more specific pricing and details of this package or call 877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667) for more information or reservations and to order tickets.

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