Pie Wars 4, the Young Professionals of the Tri-Cities’ fourth annual pizza bake-off bash, is Sunday evening at The Charles.
Proceeds from this year’s benefit will go to children’s programs at the ETSU and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum and Gray Fossil Site.
Competitors vying for the Pie Wars 4 “Live Free or Pie Hard” Cup include last year’s Pie Wars champion, Pizza and Gyro; The Blackthorn Club at the Ridges Golf Course and Resort; Fox’s Pizza Den; Mellow Mushroom; Scratch Brick Oven; and The Main Street Pizza Company.
As in past years, the best pizza and two runners up will be selected by guests, who will have an opportunity to sample each of the entries and cast a vote for their favorite. A cash bar with beer, liquor and soft drinks will be also be available.
The evening will also include a return of the infamous Man Versus Pizza competition, a 10-guest race to consume a large pizza with two free tickets to the spring NASCAR race at Bristol up for grabs. There’s also music and dancing with D.J. Ray, an appearance by the Little City Roller Girls and Big Daddy Voodoo as the night’s master of ceremonies.
Doors will open at 5. Pizza sampling and voting will run from 6-9 and will be followed by Man Versus Pizza and a marketing competition in which guests will be invited to select the best of Pie Wars posters, coasters or other creative marketing element designed for this year’s benefit by student teams from ETSU PR Publications class.
The event will wrap up at 11 and will be followed by an after party at Capone’s to celebrate the night’s proceeds.
“Every dollar we take in will go to the Gray Fossil Site,” YPTri cofounder and Pie Wars coordinator Samara Litvack said. “If you can make it all, it’s really a good time.”
Pie Wars is open to everyone age 21 and older. Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 in advance through midnight Saturday. Advance tickets and more information about the event are available at the YPTri website at tclewis.wix.com/yptricities.
Over the past three years, Pie Wars has raised more than $20,000 for local nonprofit organizations. Long-time YPTri member Adam Tate said the event is a favorite “because it exceedingly supports three important metrics of fostering future young professionals: community, involvement and building local business.”
Created in 2010, YPTri works to provide social, professional and philanthropic opportunities for young professionals in and around the Tri-Cities. More information about YPTri and Pie Wars can also be found at the YPTri Facebook page.