By CHUCK OFFENBURGER
DES MOINES, Iowa, July 13, 2025 — “Pie Lady” Beth Howard’s new documentary “PIEOWA” pegs it perfectly — “pie is woven into Iowa’s cultural fabric like the threads of a patchwork quilt.”
The show is bound to become a smash hit with Iowans, for sure, and probably with pie lovers everywhere.
I watched the second public showing of it Thursday night, July 10, at the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines.
Truth compels me to report that I’m one of the dozens of people who were interviewed in the film, and additional truth requires that I tell you that my wife Mary Riche led the packed house at the Varsity singing “Happy Birthday” to me after the flick. So, of course I liked “PIEOWA” — but then you also know I’m a pie freak from way back.
This gorgeous, perfectly made pie was one of many served free after the showing of the “PIEOWA” at the Varsity Cinema on July 10.
The documentary’s premiere was June 21 at the Fox Theater in Fort Madison. Additional showings are now also set for:
July 12 — late Saturday afternoon showings at the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines (which plans to add more dates later) and in Quimby, Iowa, one of the towns featured in the film.
July 25 – (Friday, 7 p.m.) San Antonio Film Festival, in Texas.
August 10 (Sunday, 7 p.m.) – free showing at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, in The Kitchen.
August 15 (Friday, 8 p.m.) – Bondurant, Iowa, at City Park, with a pie baking contest and with Q & A with Beth Howard. Admission is by donation.
August 16 (Saturday, 7 p.m.) – another free showing at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, also in The Kitchen.
August 17 (Sunday, 2 p.m.) – Mason City at Music Man Square ($5 ticket price includes slice of pie and ice cream).
September 29 – Okoboji at the Okoboji Writers Retreat. Probably a private showing for the writers participating in the retreat.
One of many things people are going to be raving about in “PIEOWA” is the documentary’s theme song “Pie Song” by the “Weary Ramblers,” Iowa artists Chad Elliott, of Jefferson, and Kathryn Severing Fox, of Creston. Howard commissioned them to write it for the film, and they’re going to have us all singing it.
Additional coverage of the Des Moines debut is with the photos here.
Documentary maker Beth Howard (left), who lives outside the southeast Iowa town of Donnellson, was interviewed on stage right after the film was shown, by Courtney Crowder, the Iowa columnist for the Des Moines Register.
Courtney Crowder wore her pie earrings.
Pie bakers frantically were getting ready to distribute free homemade pie to all of those attending the documentary debut at the Varsity Cinema. Actually, the people donated $1,200 for the pie, with the money going to two favorite projects of Beth Howard.
Weighing in — and I do mean weighing — about pie, in the documentary “PIEOWA.”
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