Skip to content

St. Mark’s Fair to be sweet as pie

Saturday in Qualicum Beach has one event you don't want to miss

With well over 140 stalls carrying goods including art, jewelry, fresh baked food items, antiques and more, bargain hunters are sure to find plenty of treasures during the 40th annual St. Mark's Fair Saturday, July 28 running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A huge draw at the massive bazaar are the homemade pies which always sell out quickly.

Last year customers lined up to purchase the 146 pies for sale and within 15 minutes all of them were gone.

This year there are 200 pies for sale and there are some new rules surrounding the highly sought after sweet treats.

Suzanne Adkins who is part of the St. Mark’s Fair organizing team said this year each customer will only be allowed to buy two pies.

Tamara Douglas who was in charge of the church pie-baking crew, which also goes by the name of The Holy Rollers, agreed the pies are to-die-for and insisted the old saying about too many cooks in the kitchen doesn't apply to her team.

“It's no problem.  They are all excellent and experienced bakers and I wouldn't dare tell them how to go about making pies,” chuckled the boss who enjoyed going by the title of her Royal Highness (HRH) during the pie baking bees at the church.

In all there were 13 holy rollers this year who baked 100 pies on July 9 and on July 13 whipped up another 100.

All the ingredients for the pies were donated by people in the parish.

The fruit came from their gardens and Quality Foods donated the apples.

The 10-inch pies will be sold for $10 each and include apple, rhubarb, strawberry-rhubarb, bumbleberry, pecan and raisin.

This year for the first time there is a 40th anniversary cookbook for sale which includes family recipes from members of the congregation including the highly sought after pie recipes.

All proceeds from the very popular event go back into the local community to benefit a number of worthwhile causes.

In the past these have included helping  the Eagle Park seniors’ facility, the hot lunch program at Qualicum Beach Middle School and the Young Life Program for young people at risk in the community.

 

Adkins said the event features a huge selection of books, many of them rare antiques and New to You women's clothing and there are some great bargains to be had.