Third Annual CupcakeCamp New Haven to Benefit the Closer to Free Campaign

The Third Annual CupcakeCamp New Haven, a free event to share and eat cupcakes in an open environment, will be held on October 20, 2012  from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at BAR, 254 Crown Street.

 Although the event continues to be free for attendees, called 'tasters', organizers Kelli Iassogna and Jodie Orzechowski, are suggesting donations to the Closer to Free campaign for Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven which provides funding for cancer research and patient care.

Iassogna and Orzechowski organized the first CupcakeCamp New Haven in 2010,  after attending CupcakeCamp New York. In 2011, Iassogna planned the event solo, as Orzechowski was undergoing treatment for Stage Two Hodgkin Lymphoma weeks after giving birth to her first child.

"Jodie spent a lot of time at Smilow, between chemotherapy treatments while  pregnant and resuming treatment almost immediately after giving birth to her daughter," explained Iassogna. "Her doctors and nurses were amazing, and we want to support them through CupcakeCamp."

CupcakeCamps have been held around the world in cities like Dublin, Montreal, Toronto, Seattle and San Francisco. Some of these camps are charge admission as charity fundraisers while others remain free and open to the public.

"We wanted to keep Camp free, but want people to donate to Smilow," stated  Orzechowski. "My team and the hospital provided a lot of personal support last year and this is a way to thank them."

Anyone can attend CupcakeCamp either as a baker or taster. Bakers must bring  cupcakes, whether they are homemade or store-bought is irrelevant.  Tasters come to sample. No carry-outs are permitted.

More than 1300 cupcakes will be on display for tasting at the event, located in the front room and Bartropolis nightclub area of the restaurant.

“New Haven could easily be the cupcake capitol of Connecticut,” stated Iassogna. “Camp is the perfect place for bakeries to solicit business from brides and grooms, party planners and consumers around the state. We hope the new shops that have opened in the last year will decide to join us!”

Tasters are just as important as bakers! CupcakeCamp New Haven needs 11 tasters for every dozen cupcakes. Registration for CupcakeCamp New Haven can be found online at:  http://cupcakecampnewhaven.eventbrite.com

T-shirts to commemorate the event will also be available for sale with 100% of the profits being donated to Smilow.  “Best in Show”  cupcake awards will be given to an amateur and a professional baker, as well as the new "Taster's Choice" award.

A representative from the Closer to Free Campaign for Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven will be at camp.

For more information about CupcakeCamp New Haven, visit http://cupcakecampnh.blogspot.com, email cupcakecampnewhaven@gmail.com. CupcakeCamp New Haven is also on facebook and twitter.