Petoskey’s 2nd Annual Banana Bread Festival- January 31, 2026

Banana bread has always been a comfort food for Jennifer Shorter. She remembers the delicious banana bread that her Grandma Beth used to make when she was young. Last year she had the idea to take this fond memory and the nostalgia and comfort that surrounds it and create a day dedicated to that feeling and to the general appreciation of banana bread. She was inspired to do something that would bring the community together and be comforting at a cold and sometimes lonely time of year. She wanted to create something that people could look forward to and that would get them out of their houses. So, on February 1, 2025, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts and a few other downtown Petoskey stores participated in the Petoskey Banana Bread Festival. The main event was the banana bread bakeoff at Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts. There was no preregistration for the bakeoff, and Jennifer did not know how many participants she would have. On that cold, blustery day in February, over 80 people showed up with their homemade loaves of bread to compete. At the end of the judging process, three very full judges crowned four winners in the inaugural Petoskey Banana Bread Festival bakeoff. With the overwhelming success and popularity of last year’s festival, Jennifer knew that this had to be an annual event. So, Saturday, January 31, 2026 is the date for the second annual Petoskey Banana Bread Festival. 

In addition to the bakeoff that is taking place at Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts this year, several downtown Petoskey stores will be offering deals, refreshments, games, and more. Click here for more information about the event. 

Think you have what it takes to be top banana in this year’s competition? Here are all of the details for the bakeoff:

1. Participants can submit one loaf of homemade banana bread. The competition will be divided into three categories. 1. Amateur Baker 2. Professional Baker and 3. Child Baker (for those 14 and under).
2. Entrants can drop off their banana bread at Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 31. No need to preregister.
3. The entry fee is a $15 cash or check donation to Manna Food Project. Contestants must have the money when they drop off their entry.
4. Judging will take place at 1:00 p.m., and the winners from each category will be announced at 3:00 p.m. both in store and via Facebook live.
5. Entries will be judged by a panel of local foodies based on appearance, texture, flavor, creativity, and overall impression.
6. Each participant will receive a $25 gift certificate to Grandpa Shorter’s family of stores (Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, J.W. Shorter and Son Mercantile, and Luci and Carl’s Candy Cabin).
7. The top baker in each category will win $150 in prizes from a variety of downtown Petoskey businesses and the overall winner will receive $250 in additional prizes.

Here are 5 interesting facts about bananas to chew on while you perfect your banana bread recipe:

1. Medical research has been done that shows that eating bananas may lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as decrease the risk of getting some cancers.
2. There are over 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world, the cavendish being the one that we consume in the US.
3. Humans share about 50% of their DNA with bananas.
4. Bananas contain tryptophan and Vitamin B6 which help your body produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes feelings of happiness and relaxation.
5. The average American eats around 27 pounds of banana a year while the average Rwandan eats around 300 pounds of banana each year.