BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Pennsylvania and Maine have had a rivalry that goes back years over who exactly created the renowned Whoopie Pie, but one Pennsylvania man’s idea is catching some traction in the Pine Tree state.
Bill Zimmerman is an Assistant Professor at Penn State University in the communication’s department, and while going through his phone one day, it dawned on him that the beloved Whoopie Pie deserves its own emoji.
So, he hired an artist, got the blueprint, and filed the paperwork to submit for approval with the Unicode Consortium.
That’s the agency that some might call “the gatekeeper of emojis.”
“I’ve just seen throughout my entire life, just how much this is a part of people’s lives….it just feels like a warm blanket,” he said.
Patrick Myers, the executive director at the Center Theatre in Maine, found out about this.
With the theatre’s Whoopie Pie Festival coming up in a few months, Myers wanted to do his part in promoting the new emoji.
“I was thrilled to try to spread the news amongst whoopie pie fans up in Maine. Even if we can’t write a petition, we can certainly send love towards the proposal and hope for the best,” Myers said.
The 2026 Maine Whoopie Pie Festival will be held on Saturday, June 13th, in Dover-Foxcroft, offering a full day of Whoopie Pies, live music, games, and family-friendly activities.
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