Today was Ivy Tech Northeast’s 11th annual Edible Book Festival, our local take on the international event to celebrate a love of books … and food. Students and community members picked a book and created an edible version of it, resulting in cakes, veggie trains, cookies, and more.

Melinda Allen, a cake decorator at the Chapel Ridge Walmart, says this is the seventh Edible Book Festival she has participated in. Or eighth. Or ninth. “I’ve done so many,” she says. “I look forward to it every year.” Her cake, based on the book “Vintage Camper Trailers,” came in third place in the People’s Choice award.
Three participants were honored with People’s Choice awards:
3. Melinda Allen, community participant, “Vintage Camper Trailers”
2. American Heritage Girls, community participant, the Harry Potter books
1. Natasha Grover, hospitality administration student, “Beauty and the Beast”

Everything on Melinda Allen’s camper was edible. The trees had ice cream cone bases, she said, and the hot dogs were stringy fruit snacks.
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