National Pie Day 2027 is on Saturday

About National Pie Day

National Pie Day honors one of the most familiar American desserts, though pie itself is far older than the United States. Sweet fruit, custard and cream pies get most of the attention, but savory pies such as pot pies, meat pies and quiches count too. The day is mostly about baking and sharing pie at home, at bakeries and at community events.

The day began in Boulder, Colorado. According to The Denver Post, around 1975 schoolteacher Charlie Papazian told his students he was declaring his birthday, January 23, to be National Pie Day, because he loved eating and baking pie and liked to put his birthday candles in one. The date was later listed in Chase's calendar of events. Papazian is better known in the beer world as a homebrewing author and the founder of the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

The American Pie Council, an organization of commercial, professional and amateur bakers and industry suppliers, now promotes the day and encourages people to share their favorite pies online. The council also runs the annual APC National Pie Championships. National Pie Day has no official government status.

It is easy to mix up with Pi Day on March 14, which celebrates the mathematical constant pi (3.14). The two are separate observances, although bakers often use both as a reason to make pie.

Sources: The Denver Post: National Pie Day, a Colorado-born holiday, American Pie Council. How we check dates.

How to mark National Pie Day

• Bake a pie from scratch, starting with an all-butter or lard crust, and practice crimping the edge by hand.
• Make a savory pie for dinner, such as a chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie or vegetable quiche.
• Ask an older relative for a family pie recipe and write it down so it isn't lost.
• Buy a pie from a local bakery or farm stand, or bring one to a neighbor or coworker.
• Host a small pie swap where friends each bring a different kind and take home slices of the others.

National Pie Day dates