Thanh Thanh Nguyen, second from left, stands with celebrity chef Buddy Valastro and two colleagues from Saigon Sandwich House. (Photo Courtesy City of Lowell)

LOWELL — Over 2,000 people filled downtown Lowell on Saturday as Buddy Valastro unveiled a towering bicentennial birthday cake and led the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to celebrate the City’s 200th anniversary during Winterfest.

Valastro, star of TLC’s “Cake Boss,” visited Lowell one day ahead of the City’s official incorporation date of March 1, 1826. His appearance highlighted the 26th annual Winterfest and served as an early centerpiece of Lowell’s bicentennial year.

The day started at 11 a.m. with a chocolate festival at Saint Anne’s Church, followed by a soup contest at the Lowell Masonic Center. From noon to 10 p.m., Merrimack Street and several surrounding cobblestone streets were closed to traffic as families explored ice sculpting demonstrations, live music, food trucks, fire performances, warming stations, an art market and a day-long scavenger hunt.

Valastro began his day by sampling desserts from a dozen city bakeries, serving as the judge of a contest of who could be sweetest. Sugar Sparks Bakery took first place with a coconut cupcake filled with guava and topped with light buttercream frosting. The Bakery at Good Thymes and Olympos Bakery earned second and third place honors.

Sugar Sparks Bakery is a barely year-old online bakery that works out of the Root Kitchen at Mill City Grows. The bakery has pickups available at Hive Public Market and in Nashua, N.H., and delivery is available for large orders. Operated by a team of two, Sugar Sparks Bakery blends cultures and tastes to bring fresh flavor to the Lowell bakery scene.

“To us, Lowell feels like a big family of diverse cousins — different backgrounds, different stories, but always connected. Always helping one another. Always growing together, and we are proud to be part of that story,” said Sugar Sparks Bakery co-owners Tracy Sparks and Jennie Hertello.

Other bakeries that participated in the contest were The Artisan at Greater Lowell Technical High School, Kim’s Donuts, Little Delights Bakery, Mochinut, Pizzelle Bakery, Saigon Sandwich House & Bakery, Sophia’s Greek Pantry, Lowell Asian Bakery, and Valentina’s Portuguese Market.

There were two sets of winners in the annual Richard Rourke Memorial Soup Bowl Competition. The judge’s choice winners were Laos Thai Kitchen in first place, followed by FORK Included and Trem Caipira USA. The people’s choice winners were Purple Carrot Bread Co., followed by FORK Included and Laos Thai Kitchen.

“It’s been a true New England winter in Lowell, and it was uplifting to see our City come together once again to celebrate the season and our community,” said City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. “This event wasn’t just enjoyed by our community, it was planned by our community, and made possible by the dedicated volunteers on the Bicentennial Committee, as well as generous sponsors. I want to thank everyone in Lowell who helped make this such a special Winterfest.”

Celebrity chef Buddy Valastro and Mayor Erik Gitschier unveil the City of Lowell’s bicentennial birthday cake. (Photo Courtesy City of Lowell)