SALT LAKE CITY — What has become a popular alternative to the annual Pioneer Day celebrations has grown exponentially from a few hundred people at a downtown bar to several thousand people invading Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
The beer will be flowing, and slices of pie will be served to celebrate "Pie and Beer Day," which started as a catchy and funny phrase and has turned into a massive, all-inclusive community celebration
Fifteen years ago, Brad Wheeler was working at a local, community radio station and suggested staging a July 24 fundraiser featuring Pie and Beer. Most coworkers laughed but told him to give it a shot.
“Made a little promo, then two days later the New York Times called and wanted to do an interview about Pie and Beer Day," said Wheeler. "It hit the AP press, and it went wild!”
Wheeler reached out to Salt Lake’s Beer Bar to see if he could hold the inaugural party there.
“They were like, ‘Sure, no one is going to show up; it’s like the slowest day of the year!,'" Wheeler said. "And the bar was so full. Like, if one person fell down, the whole bar was going to fall down.”
Thus, "Pie and Beer Day" officially became a thing.
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Epic Brewing was among the first brewers to take part.
“A bunch of local breweries and bakeries got together and put on a little party. But it’s been awesome to watch this thing grow," said Epic Brewing's Gus Erickson.
The festivities expanded so big and fast that organizers moved the party over to Smith’s Ballpark, and once again, not knowing how many folks would show up.
“We went through 22 kegs of beer and 10,000 slices of pie in two hours," said Wheeler. "It evaporated; it was gone so fast!”
Wheeler wants those who don’t know about "Pie and Beer Day" to know that all are welcome.
“It’s the Festivus for the rest of us," he said, referencing the holiday celebrated in Seinfeld. "You know, if you don’t feel like you’re part of [Pioneer Day], you are definitely a part of this.”
And if you don’t partake in the beer flow, everyone is encouraged to check out the amazing array of pies.
“We have amazing brewers, but these bakers. I mean, if there’s anything that’s Utah, it is pie," Wheeler said. "And the varieties of pie that come are amazing!”
The party is all a real shot in the arm for the Ballpark neighborhood in general, and last year's blitz on beer and pie definitely caught organizers a little bit off guard. But this year, anyone with a ticket was guaranteed one of at least 10,000 slices of pie.
