CHEROKEE VILLAGE, Ark. — Bentonville’s Lisa Sohl has secured a coveted spot at the World Food Championships, thanks to her tart cherry pie, which earned top honors at the Arkansas Pie Festival. The festival announced Sohl’s victory in a press release.
Sohl, the founder and head baker of Piehouse Bakery, received the festival’s Golden Ticket, an exclusive entry to the international competition set for Oct. 15-18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center in Indianapolis.
The Arkansas Pie Festival, held annually on the last Saturday in April in Cherokee Village, serves as an official qualifier for the World Food Championships. The event highlights the skills of professional and home bakers across the state and provides the overall champion an opportunity to compete on a larger stage.
Sohl’s baking expertise dates back to her upbringing on a dairy farm in rural Nebraska, where she learned cooking and baking skills while helping her family. After a career in sales and marketing, she pursued her passion by establishing Piehouse Bakery, which focuses on scratch-made pies, cakes, pastries, and other desserts.
“Lisa’s story really represents what the Arkansas Pie Festival is all about,” said festival co-founder Jonathan Rhodes in the release. “We love pie, but the festival has always been about something bigger. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate talented bakers, support small businesses, and showcase the culinary traditions that make Arkansas special. Now we get to cheer Lisa on as she takes a little slice of Arkansas to Indianapolis.”
Sohl isn’t the only local talent heading to this year’s World Food Championships. Jean Freitas of Community Bakery in Little Rock, a former champion of the Arkansas Pie Festival, will also compete, festival organizers noted.
The festival’s 2026 Golden Ticket entry was made possible by key sponsors, including state Reps. Steven Walker, Trey Steimel, Bart Schulz, and Stetson Painter, as well as Walmart Inc.
Recognized as the 2025 food-themed event winner in the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Pie Festival combines baking competitions, tastings, live entertainment, and family-focused activities. Proceeds from the event benefit science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education and entrepreneurship programs through the Spring River Innovation Hub.
The festival remains a vibrant celebration of Arkansas’ rich culinary traditions and its community of passionate bakers.