Today was the day of a long awaited Montreal event: Cupcake Camp Montreal 2010. This event took place at the Fairmount Queen Elizabeth. This was the second year this event takes place in Montreal. Cupcake camp is a 100% volunteer organization that sells cupcakes and has a cupcake competition for the soul purpose of raising funds for charities. This year the recipient charities are Kids Help Phone and Tablée des Chefs.
Last year it was a small event. This year the word got out and it was total madness. Last year it was held at a restaurant, 700 people showed up, 3,500 cupcakes were up for sale and $8,000 was raised. This year the event was help at a huge location, almost 20,000 cupcakes were up for sale, people came in the thousands (2,500 made it in, 2,000 could not get in) and over $34,500 was raised.
The 8 cupcake treasures I took home, see list at bottom
The doors opened at 1pm and we arrived around 1h30pm. We lined up for over 45 min (outdoors and indoors) to get in. There were so many people is was crazy. When we were inside the hosts would politely ask over the speakers for people to leave if they were done as there were 2,000 people waiting outside to get in and the room had reached maximum capacity. It was a madhouse and you had to fight with a smile to get to a cupcake table. It was not only a sugar rush but a cupcake adrenaline rush too! I know of 2 groups of people who gave up and did not wait to get in.
Double line outdoors, and it was COLD
Our gang
The 1,000s of people inside the room
This year’s event was a major success, bigger then possibly imagined. And there were cupcakes everywhere. We were a small gang and separated..the core foodie group sticking together. And we came up with a system: each take a bit out of our cupcakes. I tried a chocolate cinnamon chipolte cupcake; a blue yam and pistachio icing cupcake; a curry coconut icing cupcake; a fig with blue cheese and violet cupcake; a double chocolate cupcake…those are the ones I remember. Lots of cupcake pics coming up!
Blue yam and pistachio icing
A sweet Sheppard's Pie rendition topped with a sweet potato chip
So many cupcakes, I am seeing fuzzy
And here are a few competition entries. Clebretity judges included Chuck Hughes, Nadia G of the Bitchin Kitchen, food critique Leslie Chesterman, Bob le Chef,Ricardo and more.
It was such a madhouse I don’t know if I would have the courage to go again but I do think everyone should experience Cupcake Camp Montreal once in a lifetime. So next year go and get there early armed with patience. It does bring out the kid in all of us.
The 8 cupcakes that made it home:
- Chocolate and butter cream icing
- Apple something, can’t remember
- Vanilla and chocolate chips
- Matcha with a mochi on top
- Feta, zucchini and rosemary, only savory one I saw
- Vanilla with roasted marshmallow topping
- Chocolate and tofu
- Raspberry, pomegranate and blood orange jelly, white velvet cake and cream cheese icing!
Aw, I wanted to go, but I’ve been working every weekend this month. Thanks for the write-up, hopefully I’ll get to go next year.
happy thanksgiving to you! holy smokes – look at that line up eh? that is huge and I think I would of given up if it was me!
Have a fabulous long weekend!
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
Nutrition consulting helps in scattering the awareness about the nutrients one must have to take through the food eaten.
Any idea how to get in touch with the group that made cupcake #8, Raspberry, pomegranate and blood orange jelly, white velvet cake and cream cheese icing. It was my favourite!
The other one that I really enjoyed was the fig and blue cheese but I didn’t get a card from them either. Any help is appreciated.
@Joumana…all volunteers, either professional bakers or amateur foodie home bakers.
Charity and sweets generally do well once the word gets out and if the sweets are quality.
Although I admire people’s creativity (who made all these cupcakes anyway?) I would hate to be stuck in a line outside or inside and I hate crowds so I would have given up,, after waiting 20 minutes. Glad you got some booty to bring home!
Wow, the power of cupcakes is not to be underestimated! What a day!
That is one huge line to get in, what a crazy event! Lots of cool looking cupcakes though 🙂
Wow. Almost overwhelming. In a great way of course. I could have spent hours there. Love the blue yam.
Hi!
I’m one of the creator for the ‘Passion fruit, grenadine jelly and cream cheese’.
Actually, flavors were Raspberry, pomegranate and blood orange jelly, white velvet cake and yes, cream cheese icing!
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Amazing Annabelle, thanks for the correction, I updated the post!
Wow! It looks like it was a lot of fun…I guess cupcakes aren’t anywhere near losing its steam as some articles would have you believe. Standing in the cold in that long line for cupcakes (brrr) – they must’ve been good and certain for great causes! 🙂
That is a crazy amount of cupcakes. I would go nuts eating everything.
Yeah well I figured do the blog post now while the iron is hot…otherwise it will be in 3 weeks lol.
Totally worth the line up Faith!
It was indeed madness; tasty madness, but madness nonetheless. And wow, you sure are fast on the post. Mine probably won’t be up for a day or two.
What a great fun event! You came back home with a great prize too. The cupcakes look fantastic! I am glad that the event turned out to be successful. I envy your bravery to stay in a long line like that one! I wouldn’t do it in a million year but I believe the cupcakes were worth it 🙂
Wow, you’re fast!
Too bad we didn’t meet up, but it was INSANE! Sounds like we were there at the same time; we left shortly after they asked us too. Still it was a blast!
I’ll have a recap up this week hopefully.
OMG I thought last year was a zoo! You are one brave cookie! I would not have lined up so long.
Evelyne…you are fast on those keys! Is it the sugar rush that got you speeding to write your post?
Anywhooo…I, for one thank you for giving us a slice of your rendition of this absolutely disappointing madness. I was one of those groups who just couldn’t believe that this is what we had travelled so far to get to and then to be told to go freeze outside for what may be a 1hr+ wait. I felt bad because I had a bunch of friends joining me and only one couple made it through…only to be politely booted out with a smile.
Oh well…I guess that’s how the cupcake crumbled for this time.
I honestly can’t say I’m enticed to repeat this next year…there are many more charities out there that would gladly recieve their donors without making them feel like they were only there to leave some money in exchange for a few cupcakes. So much for the experience and the appreciation for what the event was all about.
I am glad that you did at least have a chance to get a little something out of it.
Sorry I missed meeting with you…but my friends were counting on me for a back up plan ;o)and I had to be very quick on my contingency plan.
Speak to you soon,
Claudia
Claudia,
Just wanted to correct in know way did I mean to give the impression we were ushered out after we got our cupcakes. Yes they asked politely but that is it.
Yes it was total unexpected madness and the organizers have a few thing to improve on but I loved it and so did everyone one there. It was a crazy blast.
In no way were we made to feel give me you money and go. They were great and appreciative! I was a successful and fun zoo!
Sorry you could not make it in 🙁
Evelyne
Cupcake madness.
I was there…All the cupcakes I had were so good that I forgot the 45 minutes of waiting.
Something to try at least once