The 2026 Great Hotdish Bake-Off!

Each year, star bakers from across Douglas County come together for an annual celebration of all things layered: The Great Hotdish Bake-Off!

This annual fundraiser features individuals, businesses, groups, and organizations baking and serving up pans of their signature hotdish to ticketholders, who sample and vote on their favorite entries and help award the People’s Choice prize at the end of the event. We also invite a panel of local celebrity judges to award the Judges’ Choice prize and etch the winning team’s name in the hotdish history books.

The 2026 bake-off will take place Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Legacy of the Lakes Museum BoatHouse (205 3rd Ave W, Alexandria, MN 56308). Tickets are $12 per adult (kids 12 and under eat free!) and can be purchased at the door, or by calling DCHS at 320-762-0382 ahead of time.

In addition to the contest itself, the event features a silent auction with items from organizations like Pike & Pint Grill, Theatre Le Homme Dieu, Jake’s Bikes, Garden Bar, and many more, with all proceeds and ticket sales going to benefit the Douglas County Historical Society’s mission to discover, preserve, and share the history of our county and its people. The event will also feature local musician Jordan Messerole playing throughout.

Are you a local business interested in donating to the silent auction? Please contact us at historic@dchsmn.org by Wednesday, March 4, to coordinate!