10/16/2025
Cisco Pie Fest Is This Weekend!
By Linda Spetter
Calling all pie bakers!
The Cisco Strong organization is calling for volunteers to bake pies for one of the biggest events of the year in Cisco: the annual Cisco Tx Pie Fest, Oct. 17-18 at the Conrad Hilton Center and surrounding area including Legacy Park.
Pies for the buffet should be dropped off at the Hilton Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17; or between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18. Baking pans are available at Campbell Insurance.
Many separate events are scheduled during the Pie Fest, which last year raised $30,000 to support local projects such as the Animal Shelter, Legacy Park by Cisco Safe, the Cisco Friendship Meal, Cisco Senior Nutrition, the Cisco College Baseball Team, Cisco Elementary, Cisco Junior High, Cisco High School, and a scholarship for a Cisco High School student. They are also responsible for the recently completed Lobo Triangle project featuring a statue of a Lobo wolf on a pedestal.
Kalynn Meyer is president of Cisco Strong which originated the Pie Fest; Val Loftin is vice president; and Pete Loftin is treasurer.
The Pie Fest kicks off Friday night with a Chicken Pot Pie Dinner at the Conrad Hilton Center from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring live music and vendors. Clay Jacobs will perform at 5 p.m.; and Sheree & Stephen Kline perform at 6 p.m. A good plan would be to come eat, listen to music, and shop before the Lobo Football Game. The dinner is $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-12; and kids under 5 years old eat free. Take out is available.
SATURDAY’S EVENTS
All You Can Eat Buffet – From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The price is $15 for a wristband which allows you to come and go and eat all you want all day long (or $8 for a single piece of pie). The buffet is 40-feet long.
Pie Baking Contest – Drop off contest pies from 8 a.m. to10 a.m. at Wildflowers Florist. Contestants must bring 2 pies (one for judging, and one for the auction). Winners are announced at 1:30 p.m., and then the winning pies are auctioned off. Auctioneer is Ronnie Ingram.
Pie Eating Contest – 11:30 a.m. at the Legacy Park Stage. Entry forms are online at www.ciscotxpiefest.com, or register by 10:30 a.m. at Pie Central Station (the Hilton). Entry fee is $10; prizes are first place $400, second place $200, and third place $100. Winner will be whoever eats the most in 5 minutes with no hands. First place will also keep a trophy until the next Pie Fest.
Arts & Crafts Vendors – Last year the Pie Fest had 50 vendors; this year there are more than 70, located all around Legacy Park and the Hilton Center.
Food Vendors – Numerous vendors, including pie vendors Life of Pie, and Caitie Pies.
Car Show – downtown at Prosperity Bank, sponsored by the Cisco Chamber of Commerce. Winners will be announced around 2 p.m.
Pieces of Pie Game – Players are given a little card, and then you go to each of the participating businesses in town, and they stamp the card for you. Then you turn it in to the Pie Central Station at the Hilton Center. Later a drawing will be held and $50 gift cards from the businesses will be presented.
Live Music – Tim Turnbeaugh at 10:15 a.m.; Finis Smith & Band 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.; Broken Strings at 3:00 p.m.; and Travis Smith at 4:00 p.m.
Kids’ Games and Petting Zoo – in the northeast corner of Legacy Park. It costs $5 to get in the Kids Area, but their wrist band allows you to come and go all day, and enjoy the petting zoo, face painting and games led by Cisco College’s Cosmetology Program (directed by Rhonda Bryant).
Pie in the Face – Three persons have been selected for this competition: Amanda Rogers-Bennett, Chris Johnson, and Brent Kilpatrick. Large jars with their names have been placed at Broken X Winery, FA Off the Ranch, First Financial Bank, Prosperity Bank, Ace Hardware, Muddy Mikes and Blue Duck. The person whose jars contain the most money wins the pie in the face. According to Pete Loftin: “If you really want somebody to win a pie in the face, just give a couple of hundred dollars to their jar.” Winner gets a pie in the face at 5 p.m.!
Pie by the Piece Quilt Block Contest – JT Ranch Quilt Shop, LLC, is sponsoring a quilt block contest featuring pie. Blocks can be pieced, appliqued, or embroidered. Finished blocks should measure 10 ½ inches. Give your block a pie name. Pies must be submitted to JT Ranch Quilt Shop at 706 Conrad Hilton Blvd by Wednesday, Oct. 15. They will not be returned but will become property of Cisco Strong. A quilt will be made from the blocks to be auctioned off next year. Entry fee is $10 per block. Prizes are first place, $250 gift basket; 2nd place, $100 gift; and 3rd place, $50. Winners will be announced at noon.
More details about Pie Fest can be found on the Cisco TX Pie Fest page; or at the website at www.ciscotxpiefest.com.
“We need volunteers, volunteers, volunteers,” stated Kalynn Meyer, president of Cisco Strong. Pete Loftin added, “We need people to man the booths on Friday when they’re dropping the pies off, and to help set up inside on Wednesday.” If you would be interested in volunteering, please call Janelle Campbell at 325-660-1378 or Val Loftin at 254-595-1111.
Pictured are Kalynn Meyer, Val Loftin and Pete Loftin of Cisco Strong
