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More on KentOnline
A much-loved and flan flinging festival is returning after being postponed last year due to the pandemic.
Organisers have announced that they will be going ahead with The World Custard Pie Championship in September at Coxheath Village Hall, near Maidstone.
The unique (and messy) World Custard Pie Championship will return on September 4, with gates opening at 12pm and the contest starting at 2.30pm.
Visitors can expect to see thousands of pies thrown as teams of four from across the globe compete for the title of World Custard Pie Champions while wearing fancy dress.
The event was started 54 years ago in 1967 to raise funds to provide community facilities for the newly created parish of Coxheath.
The village has long since had its village hall, but the event became too popular to give up, with teams travelling from across Europe and Japan to take part.
Competitors score points for every pie that hits their opponent, with six points being awarded if they are hit squarely in the face, three points for shoulder height upwards and one point for any other part of the body.
The afternoon starts with a junior wet sponge competition where children throw sponges at human targets under the same rules and point scoring as the World Custard Pie Competition. Organisers say they regard this as a training ground for future Custard Pie Throwing Champions.
Entry for spectators is free.
Despite the name, the pies are not actually made of custard but of a "secret" recipe containing flour and water, which apparently flies through the air more easily.
The 2020 championship had to be cancelled because of Covid. The Minions were the last winners, in 2019.
Committee member Alex Foster said: "We are hoping that the championship can go ahead without any Covid restrictions, but will be keeping a close eye on the government guidance.
"We plan to assess the situation closer to the time and if needed we will put the relevant restrictions in place."
