Spring started off sweetly in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, a small borough in Bucks County, with a township-sponsored bake-off on April 7.
The event was organized through the township’s First Friday program, where on the first Friday of each month, common spaces and resources are made available for reservation by local businesses, clubs, schools and other organizations based in Perkasie. This event was the first First Friday of 2023, and the first to be used for a bake-off.
“I just think it’s a fun way for our community to all gather together and showcase their talents in a fun, unique way,” said Kelly Laustsen, who organized the event.
With the help of three local eatery owners as volunteer judges, Laustsen assembled the event as the kickoff for the town’s spring season activities.
In an effort to include the town’s citizens of all ages, groups from ages 5 to 9, 10 to 15 and 16 and up were divided into separate categories for judging. With no entries in the youngest category, the middle and oldest groups had six and seven entries, respectively.
“I just want to do a baking competition and be part of a thing,” said Carter Siporin, the contest’s youngest contestant. Siporin turned 10 the week prior, becoming eligible to enter his peanut butter cupcakes into the ages 10 to 15 division, which took third place.
Bake-Off and other First Friday events like it have had a positive impact on the community, said Linda Reid, community development manager for Perkasie.
“People come out to these events in town,” Reid said. “They bring the dog, they bring the kids, they meet their friends. I think people get friendship out of it, so that’s a really great way to tie the community together.”
The First Friday program hasn’t just proven beneficial for social growth in the area. Local businesses are also experiencing more attention in conjunction with these events, said Jill Strickland, who has owned the Frox store on Seventh Street for 20 years.
“We’re a little town,” said Strickland. “There’s no walking traffic. There’s no main street really in Perkasie. So it’s challenging, and we have to do these things to drive traffic.”
Strickland said her business saw a massive revenue spike on the night of the bake-off.
“I always say high tides lift many ships, so we all help each other,” said Strickland. “We’re all successful together.”
