NATIONAL PIE DAY CELEBRATED FROM ONE END OF TOWN TO THE OTHER AS ROCKLAND, ME GOES “PIE WILD” TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE HUNGRY

8^th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour features sweet and savory pies to help feed Midcoast Maine’s hungry families.

Rockland, ME – Rockland, dubbed “Pie Town USA” by the Food Network when Bobby Flay visited for a pie throwdown, is living up to its name as planning is underway for the 8^th annual pie-a-thon to celebrate National Pie Day (National Pie Day is celebrated each year on Jan 23^rd). The whole town of Rockland, ME will go pie-crazy on Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 1:00 – 5:00pm when the Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by Rockland, ME businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town for the 8^th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour. Sample more than 45 different pies at restaurants and inns throughout Rockland and enjoy tours of common areas and some guest rooms at the inns. Tickets for the Pies on Parade Inn-to-Inn Tour are $25 for adults and $10 for children ten and under. Tickets sell out quickly, are available from participating inns only (not additional participating Rockland businesses), and include some take-home recipes and plenty of pie to sample. Why not make a weekend of it? After all, friends don’t let friends drive under the influence of pie! Take advantage of exclusive pie add-ons like wine and pie pairings and special museum tours and tastings. Read on for a full description of the one or two-day Pie Tour packages. Pies on Parade 2012 to be the biggest pie event in New England.

Never attended a pie tour? This is not your average pie-in-the-sky event. Move aside Mom’s apple pie, Rockland’s inns and restaurants will serve up everything from Shepherds Pie and a number of gourmet Pizza Pies to sweet and savory Italian Galettes, seafood pies, Whoopie Pies and the signature Key LimeRock Pie at the LimeRock Inn. Of course, for those who still love the age-old favorites; look for Apple, Raspberry and Blueberry pie along with savory egg pies at the Berry Manor Inn and a newly developed Cranberry Apple Pie and a delicious crab quiche at theGranite Inn. Captain Lindsey House will serve their signature Cornish Meat Pasties too. Best of all, fear not the packing on of pie pounds; Rockland businesses have added healthy pies (yes, there can be such a thing!) to the list. Last year, Fiore Oil served up a beautiful pie with healthy olive oil, defying all preconceived notions about “pie-ling” on calories from pies! Each of the participating venues will serve both a savory and sweet pie, including a number of unusual galettes, tarts, pot pies, pizza pies, even a grilled pie and quiches too.

To date more than 20 Rockland venues, have signed on to participate in Pies on Parade and the list is growing. Not to be outdone by inns and restaurants, a number of additional Rockland, ME businesses have signed on for the “Pie-rade” including the Maine Lighthouse Museum, Maine Audubon Puffin Project, Fiore Oils and Sweets & Meats store.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry. Over the past seven years, nearly $40,000 has been donated from this event to help provide food for Midcoast families. With this year’s donation, Historic Inns of Rockland expect to make it to the $50,000 total donation mark.

While walking between venues helps to burn calories, All Aboard Trolley will provide trolley and limo service at designated stops, making it more efficient to hit as many pie stops as possible. Tour goers are encouraged to park at the Lincoln Street Center for the Arts, chosen for its central location, then walk or catch the trolley to restaurants or inns from there.

Why go home pie-eyed at the end of the event? The Historic Inns of Rockland suggest a number of different Pie Tour survival tips, including a warning to not drive home under the influence of pie! The Historic Inns of Rockland have created a Pie Tour package which requires no designated pie tour driver. Join us in “Pie Town” to celebrate National Pie Day for a two night package (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday) that includes two nights’ accommodations at any of the four Historic Inns of Rockland, daily breakfast and

• Two guaranteed tickets to the biggest pie event in New England
• Two personal pies baked just for you
• One 2012 commemorative Pies on Parade poster
• A $50 Midcoast Money voucher for dinner on Saturday at a choice of many area restaurants.
• Top Tips for Surviving the Pie-Fest from veteran Pie Paraders
• Two tickets and exclusive tour of Owls Head Transportation Museum on Saturday where pies will be paired with foreign autos by country of origin 12:15-2:15

· Exclusive tour of Audubon’s Project Puffin Center on Saturday 1/22/12 from

2:30 – 3:00 pm or 3-3:30 pm featuring “Sweet Cream Puff (in) Pastry Pies”

• Invitation to a “Wine and Pie” tasting at the Wine Seller Saturday, from 3:30-5:30 pm with exclusive tasting from 3-3:30 pm
• Complimentary access to Maine Lighthouse Museum opening on Sunday, at 10am and will feature “Lite Pies”

Book a 3rd night and get 25% discount on the 3^rd night. The Two-Night Packages range from $345 to $495* single or double occupancy plus tax.

* Specific policies for cancellations, advanced deposits, check in and check out times vary with individual inn. Package cannot be combined with any other discounts.

One night packages are also available for Sunday, Jan 22 only including one night accommodations, a post-pie tour breakfast, two tickets to the Pie Tour, 2012 commemorative poster, two personally baked pies and the Top Tips for Surviving the Pie-Fest from Veteran Pie Paraders, all for $185-$260 single or double occupancy.

Recognized among the top ten eco-friendly inns in the U.S. by BedandBreakfast.com, and continuing their commitment as Certified Maine Hospitality Environmental Leaders, Historic Inns of Rockland will take the green theme beyond the Key Limerock Pie. Tourgoers will enjoy pie served with totally natural and biodegradable, fully compostable plates made of all-natural sugar cane stalks and reuseable silverware. Waste from the event will be composted locally at participating inns. Each tour goer receives their own metal fork to take from venue to venue, which is then collected and washed for use the following year. Wherever possible, pies will be made from locally purchased products. All proceeds will remain in Rockland to provide food and heating assistance for Midcoast Maine families through the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry.

About Historic Inns of Rockland, ME

Historic Inns of Rockland is comprised of four distinctive inns located in Rockland, Maine’s historic district. Each offering a unique experience and décor from modern urban chic to Victorian or European styled, the four Historic Inns of Rockland offer haute hospitality within easy strolling distance of Rockland’s thriving downtown restaurant, shopping and museum district and waterfront. From luxury to pet and kid-friendly, Historic Inns of Rockland are the ideal home base for exploring all that Midcoast Maine has to offer. Simply put, it’s the Rockland Way To Stay. For more information, visit www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com or call 1-877-ROC-INNS (877-762-4667) to order tickets in advance or consult each participating inn’s website for more specific pricing and details of this package: LimeRock Inn (www.LimeRockinn.com), Captain Lindsey House (www.lindseyhouse.com), Berry Manor Inn (www.BerryManorInn.com), or Granite Inn (www.oldgraniteinn.com ).

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2012 Calendar Listing

Rockland, dubbed “Pie Town USA” by the Food Network when Bobby Flay visited for a pie throwdown, is living up to its name as planning is underway for the 8^th annual pie-a-thon to celebrate National Pie Day (National Pie Day is celebrated each year on Jan 23^rd). The whole town of Rockland, ME will go pie-crazy on Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 1:00 – 5:00pm when the Historic Inns of Rockland are joined by Rockland, ME businesses and restaurants to welcome hungry pie eaters to the town for the 8^th Annual Pies on Parade Pie Tour. Sample more than 45 different pies at restaurants and inns throughout Rockland and enjoy tours of common areas and some guest rooms at the inns. Tickets sell out quickly, are available from participating inns only and include some take-home recipes and plenty of pie to sample. Proceeds benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry and Fuel Assistance program so others can put food on the table, while the community eats pie! Why not make a weekend of it? After all, friends don’t let friends drive under the influence of pie! Take advantage of exclusive pie add-ons like wine and pie pairings and special museum tours and tastings when you book a Pies on Parade package at one of the four Historic Inns of Rockland. Info: www.HistoricinnsofRockland.com, 1-877-ROC-INNS.