What began as one student’s daydream of a cake picnic managed to transform the South Lawn into a sunlit maze of buttercream, gingham and community joy Sunday afternoon. With 54 cakes lined across long tables and 132 ticket holders weaving through the display, Cake on the Lawn felt like something between a bake sale, an art show and a love letter to Charlottesville’s sweeter side.
The event was organized by fourth-year College student Fernanda Vergara, who was inspired by the whimsical cake picnics in cities like New York and Los Angeles that have taken social media by storm. Vergara said that she had always wished to attend such a gathering — and bond with strangers over a shared love for sugar — but she never heard about one happening locally.
“I love baking … but the chances of me being in New York or LA while one of these events was happening was slim to none,” Vergara said. “Then I thought that I wish we could have one of these in Charlottesville, and my friends just told me to do it.”
Vergara originally imagined a small gathering with a few cakes shared among a handful of friends. But once she created an Instagram account to promote the idea, interest quickly snowballed, and the number of expected cakes climbed into the 50s.
“A lot of people were really interested in it,” Vergara said. “I didn’t think it was going to be a big thing, but it turned out that a ton of people were interested in baking cakes.”
Wanting the event to have a broader purpose beyond just sweets, Vergara decided to partner with One Love, a national nonprofit founded in Charlottesville that works to educate young people about healthy relationships and prevent abuse. One Love was the beneficiary of all ticket proceeds, and their volunteers generously helped with set-up, check-in and cake distribution during the event.
“[One Love is] a very Charlottesville cause. I wanted something that was more community based, and what they share is very important,” Vergara said. “We’re all in college, and healthy relationships are so important.”
Those eager to take part in the confectionery spectacle could either sign up to bake a cake of their own or purchase a $5 ticket by registering through Partiful. Guests therefore fell into two camps — cake bakers and cake enthusiasts — which made for the perfect ratio of cake slices to hungry stomachs.
Though the forecast threatened rain, the day cleared up beautifully — sunlight filtered through the trees, catching the shine of ganache and buttercream glazes. After checking in and receiving a box lined with charming checkered parchment paper, attendees wandered along the two long cake tables, tasting flavor combinations ranging from familiar strawberry shortcake to inventive blackberry Earl Grey. Everyone was able to fill their boxes with as many slices of cake, from as many cakes, as they so desired.
From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the South Lawn itself became an edible gallery, with frosted tiered masterpieces sitting beside rustic sheet cakes and delicate trifles. Airy matcha sponges dusted in green shared table space with glossy chocolate layers ribboned in raspberry. Cheesecakes — including one particularly dramatic black forest rendition — gleamed like polished marble, and a cookie cake even made an appearance, drawing smiles from those who preferred joy over elegance.
Fourth-year Commerce student Hayes Young attended Cake on the Lawn with friends. She noted that the enticing flyers posted about the event on Instagram compelled her to stop by.
“I love cake and I have such a sweet tooth, and I’ve seen this concept elsewhere on social media, so I was really excited someone was putting it together at U.Va.,” Young said.
While the event ran smoothly, organizing it as an individual student presented several challenges. Because Vergara did not organize the event on behalf of a cake-loving Contracted Independent Organization, she said she faced logistical roadblocks that made it difficult to reserve space or access University resources.
“Reserving the South Lawn was a big issue. You have to be an organization … [and] renting tables and tabling was really hard,” Vergara said. “I can understand [the University] having barriers, but at the same time, I am a student. Luckily it all worked out in the end.”
Despite the hurdles, the overwhelmingly positive response to Cake on the Lawn has inspired Vergara to consider making the event a lasting tradition. She explained that the aforementioned difficulties made her realize that it would be best to establish a CIO dedicated to organizing and hosting future cake picnics. Vergara said that she envisions the event happening once a semester or once a year, partnering with a different charitable organization each time.
“I really like the idea of being able to come back in a couple of years and see this still happening,” Vergara said. “I’m incredibly excited to … hopefully be able to pass the torch on to someone who loves cake as well.”
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