The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) will hold a cake-baking contest to celebrate its 87th anniversary on Saturday, March 3 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at ATC’s Visitor Center in Harpers Ferry This event is free and open to the public.

Contestants will bake their favorite type of cake and give it an Appalachian Trail (A.T.) theme. People can register for this contest by sending an email with their name, whether or not they are under 18 and type of cake they plan to make no later than Friday, March 2. at 3 p.m. Cake submissions must be dropped off at the ATC’s Visitor Center between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 3.

Judging will begin at 1 p.m. Judges include Ed Wheeless, co-owner of Laurel Lodge B&B in Harpers Ferry and trained in pastry arts at L’Academie de Cuisine, Warren J. Eng, culinologist & Senior Sales Associate at Sur La Table in Pentagon City, and Gary “Babu Simba” Hill, 2008 thru-hiker and winner of last year’s cake baking contest.

Prizes will be given to the winners of three categories: best tasting, best A.T.- related design, and best junior entry (under 18).

The ATC was founded on March 3, 1925 to oversee the building of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.). Since then, with the help of legions of volunteers and many federal and state partners, the ATC has helped the A.T. grow from little more than a bold concept to a 2,000-mile, protected footpath that has become the world’s most famous hiking trail.

Cakes will be served to the public following the judging.

For more information on entering a cake in the contest, please contact Claire Hobbs at chobbs@appalachiantrail.org or by calling 304-535-2200, ext. 134.