Have Your Pie and Eat It Too. The 8th Annual Texas Pie Fest Is Back

Every year in April, Rockwall gets a little bit sweeter thanks to Texas Pie Fest. The annual celebration of flaky, golden crusts filled with gluttony is hosted by Tate Farms, one of the last family-owned ranches in Rockwall County.

The farm was established in 1962 by G.L. Tate Sr., and the family has maintained the tradition of raising Hereford cattle for over 50 years and selling grass-fed and finished (meaning it’s not just fed some grass) beef across Dallas. 

Over time, they’ve introduced horse boarding and training and an event space, but the family’s best idea yet was making Texas Pie Fest a tradition in 2018. 

It brings together the state’s top pie makers for tastings, an artisan market for locally made goods, old school pie eating contests, a pie fight and local celebrity judges. Last year, chef Tony Archibald of Michelin recognized Quarter Acre, was a guest judge, as was Valery Jean-Bart of Val’s Cheesecakes. 

Contest Information

The contest costs $10 per entry, and you can bake either a sweet or savory pie. Each one is judged on taste, creativity and overall presentation. 

There’s also a pie-eating contest, which costs $5 to see who can eat a 12-inch pie the fastest. Entries are divided by age group (kids ages 4-10, kids ages 11-15, adults ages 16-100 and dogs).

For those two contests, you must pre-register, but anyone can join in on the pie fight. The “fight” is a free-for-all with aluminum pie tins filled with whipped cream getting flung across the farm grounds. 

Ticket Options

Early bird admission tickets are on sale now on the Texas Pie Fest website. The event takes place on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Tate Farms, 12992 S FM 548 (Rockwall).

Early bird prices are available now through Saturday, March 14 at $12 per person (ages 9+) and kids age 8 and under get in for free. 

Regular admission goes on sale Sunday, March 15, through Saturday, April 18. Regular admission costs $15 per person (ages 9+) and tickets can be purchased online or at the door for the same price.

Purchase tickets and register for pie eating contests and the pie fight online at texaspiefest.com