Some of Pennsylvania’s most recognizable products are going head-to-head in a March Madness tournament of their own.
Through the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry’s second annual “Coolest Thing Made in PA” competition, PA mainstays such as Penn State Creamery ice cream, Auntie Anne’s pretzels, Crayola crayons and even Harley-Davidson motorcycles are voted on across bracket rounds until the champion “Coolest Thing” is crowned.
Tournament voting been taking place on the PA Chamber’s accounts on Instagram and X. Sixty-four contestants have been whittled down to a final 16 for the third round, which begins today.
Congratulations to the FINAL SIXTEEN of the 2024 Coolest Thing Made in PA contest! Over 20,000 votes were cast, thank you to everyone who voted. The third round of voting will open on Tuesday, April 2. View full contest details here: https://t.co/lkn07lS99l #CoolestThingPA pic.twitter.com/98tWj98lb2
— Pennsylvania Chamber (@PAChamber) March 29, 2024
2023’s champion was a Pittsburgh favorite — the Primanti Bros. sandwich. The lunch staple is in the running again this year, and will go up against the Eat’n Park Smiley Cookie in Round 3.
Also still in the competition are Sarris chocolates, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Yueingling beer, and UTZ potato chips, among others.
A good portion of the entries have already been defeated — the losers include Peeps, the Duolingo language learning app and Pampers baby diapers. More than 66,000 votes have been cast in the first 2 rounds of the tournament.
The fourth round will run from April 4 to April 5, the semi-finals from April 8 to April 9, and the championship from April 10 to April 11.
“The public response to this contest has truly been incredible, and it’s a testament to the love that consumers across the commonwealth and beyond share for these Pennsylvania-made products, many of which are household names nationwide,” Pennsylvania chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein said in a statement.
“We’re thrilled to have a diverse representation of industries in these remaining 16 contestants, and we can’t wait to see who the voters choose to move on in the remaining weeks of the competition.”
The @PAChamber’s “Coolest Thing Made in PA” competition picks back up tomorrow with third-round voting starting at noon. Who did YOU pick? pic.twitter.com/ULPZx8ou1g
— Pennsylvania Chamber (@PAChamber) April 1, 2024
