‘Rockin’ the Doghouse’ returns

    HOULTON — For those of you who think summer is over, don’t put away your party shoes yet. The Houlton Humane Society will host its third annual “Rockin’ The Doghouse” event in Monument Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    “This fundraiser has turned into a huge hit for all ages,” said Cathy Davis, volunteer for the shelter. “Adults loves the Show and Shine antique and classic car show. Cars will be displayed on Broadway all afternoon, with registration to begin at 11 a.m. Trophies will be awarded for various classes and a special addition to the show this year will be a 1/24 scale model car show for the younger car enthusiasts. Judges will be chosen from the attendees in the same age bracket as the entrants with various prizes.”
    Younger children will love the ball drop event. At about noon the Houlton Fire Department’s ladder truck will extend its ladder and drop 144 ping-pong balls into the park. Balls will be marked for prizes so if a youth finds one ball with a mark or 10, they can pick up prizes for each one. There will also be a prize for the youngster who picks up the most balls.
    Another attraction for the younger set will be the hay scramble. Coins will be hidden in the hay for the kids to find, and keep.
    All day long there will be games for the kids, but a special treat this year will be the “Minute to Win It” contest, based on the popular television show, which should appeal to the teens and older crowd.
    “If you’ve never seen that TV show, an example of one of the games will be to put an Oreo cookie on your forehead and work it down to your mouth in 60 seconds without using your hands,” Davis said. “Prizes will be awarded and there are over a dozen different Minute to Win it Games that will be played. Not only will you have a blast trying to beat the clock and win great games, but the audience will be cheering for you along the way.
    “The Bus will be in the park all day with various menu changes for the fall, so between Ruth’s menu and the food available at the event, we guarantee you won’t be hungry,” Davis added. “There will be the burgers and dogs and other menu items on the bus, as well as cotton candy, popcorn, pizza, lemonade, carmel apples, punch and strawberry shortcake and Death by Chocolate.  Forget your diet!”
    There will be face painting, balloons, raffles, a food sale, crafts, and the best music available in Aroostook County all day long. Mellow Endeavor will be playing as well as Chuck Loucka on piano. Loucka is a world-class concert pianist. The RFD Gang and Double Tap will also perform. There will be giveaways all day long and the Schwans truck will be parked at the entrance to Broadway hosting a truck load sale with a portion of proceeds going to the animal shelter. People can pre-order online, by going to www.schwansfundraising.com, clicking on “place an order online” and entering the campaign ID number 35877 and enter your order using the three digit product code. People can also order directly from the truck on the Saturday.
    There will also be an art contest, so area artists are encouraged to bring drawings, paintings, and photos of their pets. Each entry must be animal related in some way. The public will vote on their favorite, prizes will be awarded for the top three entries.
    Among the many raffles up for grabs are a 55-inch flat screen TV, a $600 Trek Dual Sport Kaitai Bike, a limited edition painting by Esther Orr Faulkner and a 50-50 drawing. The drawing will be held on the Saturday, so those who haven’t yet purchased a ticket for the TV or the bike or painting, should stop by the fair and sign up.
    “Bring a chair, stay all day, listen to the music, view the antique and classic cars, have a little something to eat, bring your kids so they can get into the ball drop or play the other games, and come expecting to have fun,” Davis said.
    All proceeds benefit the Houlton Humane Society animal shelter. The benefit organizer is Jon Miller.