11-year-old Emily McDowell arranges her cupcakes before the Fifth Annual Jazz and Dessert Festival at Austintown Middle School. Dozens of professional and amateur bakers were entered in the competition.

AUSTINTOWN — The smell of sweet treats and the sounds of jazz could be heard wafting from the Austintown Middle School cafetorium Saturday as the Austintown Band Parents Club hosted its fifth annual Jazz and Dessert Festival.

The event, which included a baking competition for professionals and amateurs, was a benefit to raise money for the Austintown band programs. Annually, the event raises more than $2,000 and anywhere from 400 to 450 community members attend.

According to the event organizer, Brad Gessner, the event has steadily grown throughout the years.

The first year, people stayed for the entire two-and-a-half-hour event and organizers needed to create more room.

“This is probably the most entertaining and most fun event we have,” Gessner said. “Once (the event) gets going, it’ll be filled with people, and you’ll see them milling around all night.”

The baking competition featured local amateur and professional bakers vying for the top prize. Trophies and plaques were awarded to the bakers with the best display, best professional dessert and best amateur dessert.

Of the amateurs, 11-year-old Emily McDowell was one of the contestants. She provided almond cupcakes with a strawberry filling and buttercream frosting. Emily did all her own work from making the icing, filling the cupcakes and adding a special touch to the top of the cupcakes — edible paper bearing the Austintown Fitch logo.

She entered the competition because she watched her grandmother bake and wanted to learn to do it. Emily started when she was 6 by making clothespin cookies, then moving to cakes, and then eventually making the jump to cupcakes.

Another dessert option available was made by Melinda Marks, who made a surprising twist on an Ohio classic — buckeyes.

Marks, who suffers from a peanut and tree nut allergy, made it a point to make buckeyes with sunflower butter for people who share her allergy.

“I made them because I want people who are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, etc. to enjoy ‘traditional’ buckeyes,” Marks said.

The bands that performed at the event all have ties to the school. The middle school jazz band, Fitch Jazz 1, Fitch Jazz Two, and Austintown Fitch alumni all displayed their musical talents.

All the proceeds raised go toward paying for uniforms, instruments and band related necessities, according to Austintown Band Parents president Ray Hartsough.

“We have great community support and for that we’re very appreciative. It’s all about having fun and raising money for the kids,” Hartsough said.