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Big crowds at Pasty Fest

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette — Jon Ziemba hoists the prize from Saturday's pasty-eating competition at Pasty Fest.

CALUMET — Saturday’s Pasty Fest was the biggest yet, according to organizers.

The 16th annual celebration of the pasty in Calumet featured plenty of pasties, as well as a parade, art vendors, a car show, music and more.

Eager crowds had wiped out pasty vendors’ stocks by 3 p.m., a little more than halfway through the event, said organizer Leah Polzien.

“We’re really sad to see that happen so fast, but the turnout has been way more than anticipated, so that is wonderful,” she said. “Our biggest problem has just been keeping people in pasties, so we will be sizing up for next year.”

Next year could also see expansion of the car show, which also drew larger crowds, Polzien said.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette — Cousin Jack the Pasty walks with the Calumet High School marching band in Saturday’s Pasty Fest parade.

Connie’s Pasties prepared 620 pasties for the day, said owner Connie Hella.

“Beautiful day, lots of pasties,” she said. “Perfect.”

Two of them went to Art and Linda Baratono, Copper Country natives now living in Naples, Florida.

“Her vegetables are really small, and she has more rutabagas, more carrots in it,” Linda said. “I don’t like my potatoes sliced.”

The Matador from Laurium won the annual Pasty Fest bakeoff. Voters took a kit with samples from all entrants, marked by a separate color of toothpick. They then returned the toothpick from the pasty they liked most.

This year saw a change in the pasty-eating competition. Instead of determining a winner by how soon they could finish one pasty, the title went to whoever could eat the most in five minutes.

“This new style is how people anticipate and expect it to be,” Polzien said.

The new rules yielded the same result: a third consecutive win for Jon Ziemba. Despite burning his mouth on the hot pasties, he scarfed down three.

“Mentally, it was a bit tougher,” he said. “After that first one, it was ‘OK, keep going.’ Just keep eating as fast as I could.”

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