The Little Pig award is headed to the North Bend mantle of Chase Roeder, 12.

With a face full of filling, Roeder, 12, won the children’s Twede’s Cafe Cherry Pie Eating Contest by audience acclamation Saturday, Aug. 13, at a well-attended Festival at Mount Si, held at Si View Park in North Bend.

“I just shoved my face in it,” said Chase, who managed the better part of an entire cherry pie as “Nut Bag Chase,” alongside 13 other children with names like “Dessert Diva” and “Pie Princess.” Even after clean-up, the sixth grader’s face was still a bit sticky, but that’s OK.

“I’m always sticky,” Chase said.

“He’s a kid of diverse appetites,” confirmed Chase’s dad, Conrad. His son looks scrawny, but he does a lot of skateboarding, tree-climbing, swimming and general boy stuff.

“At home, he’s well known to not eat anything one weekend, and on another weekend, go through the entire refrigerator,” Conrad said.

Narrowly edged-out favorite Tessa “Messa” Lewis left without the prize, but not without a few crumbs.

“I’ve still got some on my neck,” the 10-year-old Opstad student said.

The Festival at Mount Si is part of her family’s summer tradition. Dad Wayne looks forward to the fireworks extravaganza, in particular.

Grown-up fun

He doesn’t even like cherries. Billy Cooper came all the way from Covington Wash., to participate in the contest. He was one of about a dozen competitors

The strategy: “Get as much in as possible without hurling.”

Nearby, the eastern-influenced Veils of the Nile belly dancers were among the colorful entries on the parade who made their way to Si View Park for a second performance.

Veils student Gerry Guenther celebrated her 82nd birthday Saturday. She started belly dancing at age 75.

“It keeps you young,” Guenther said.

• Learn more about the Festival at http://www.festivalatmtsi.org/