When gardens overflow with zucchini, we might as well throw a party for it.
Pine River Public Library hosted its second annual Zucchini Festival on Sunday.
There were competitions for local chefs and community cooks, along with prizes for best decorated, carved and ugliest zuke.
The lone entry in the ugliest zuke category sported some duct tape, along with this helpful note:
"I may be ugly, but I'm a survivor. Attacked by a weed whacker 8/22/16."
Sunday being the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, there also was a period of silence as a bell was rung in memory of the people who died that day.
In addition to fun squash contests, a wide variety of zucchini dishes were served.
In the Iron Chef cooking competition judged by Chef Arnold Safari from the Strater Hotel, the political team of Commissioner Julie Westendorff and Bayfield Town Board Trustee Kelly Polites won for their zucchini boats with different stuffings of cheese and sausage.
Upper Pine River Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Tom Kaufman won second place from Chef Safari, along with the people's choice award for his green chili chicken cheese soup, which included zucchini for this event.
Pine River Library Garden Club members Jojo Dideles and Andrew Trujillo served lettuce wraps with quinoa, zucchini and savory toppings, taking third place in both categories.
Before the Iron Chef contest, several community members brought in dishes for a community potluck and community cooking contest.
Festival-goers voted for their favorite dish in several categories.
Winners are:
First - Debbie Pennington - zucchini relish
Second - LeeAnne and Ivy Jack - spicy zucchini dip
Third - Darcy Poletti Harp - garlic and basil marinated zucchini.
First - Momentum Fitness - zucchini pesto pasta
Second - Bonnie Cotton - squash stew with elk
Third - Sue Lomperis - zucchini curry.
First - Linda Stoltz - zucchini-carrot cake
Second - AJ's Greenhouse - zucchini cobbler
Third - Andrew Trujillo -brown butter zucchini cupcakes.
Other contests winners are:
First - Noel Bryant
Second - Michaela Wilson
Third - Rose Hines
First - Sandy Thompson
Second - Dreya and Drew
Third - Katie Middleton.
First - Claire Thompson
Second - Mini Jack
Third - Ivy Higman.
