BETHEL — The 19th annual Bethel Harvest Fest, sponsored by Hancock Lumber, took place Saturday on the Bethel Common.
Various vendors lined the outer edges of the common, and the fountain trickled next to young attendees throwing beanbags in hopes of winning a prize.
At noon, judging for the Chowdah Cook-off began and a long line of chowder lovers formed to taste test Bethel’s best. The cook-off was sponsored by Sysco of Northern New England and Oakhurst Dairy.
Eight local restaurants competed in the cook-off:
• The Bethel Inn Resort entered a smoked seafood chowder;
• Rooster’s Roadhouse, clam and corn chowder;
• Crossroad’s Diner, haddock chowder;
• 22 Broad Street, clam and corn chowder;
• Sunday River Brewing Co., lobster chowder;
• Black Diamond Steakhouse, Cajun chicken and corn chowder;
• The Local Hub, butternut squash curry corn chowder; and
• The Sudbury Inn, clam chowder.
Winners were announced for two categories — Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice, and three chowders stood out above the rest.
For those with a sweet tooth, there was also an apple pie cook-off, which consisted of three categories: professional, traditional amateur and non-traditional amateur.
The Sudbury Inn took away another victory in professional with their pie made by Beverly Sylvester, local Megan Gooley won traditional amateur and local Dawn Grondin won nontraditional amateur.
Robin Zinchuk, one of the organizers of the Harvest Fest, said the day was a great success.
“We had a great crowd, beautiful weather and lots of volunteer help,” Zinchuk said.
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Judges’ Choice
• First place, The Sudbury Inn
• Second place, Black Diamond Steakhouse
• Third place, 22 Broad Street
People’s Choice
• First place, 22 Broad Street
• Second place, Sudbury Inn
• Third place, Black Diamond Steakhouse
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