‘A Night at the Fair’
theme of downtown block party
PRESQUE ISLE — To kick off the 2012 Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, the Presque Isle Lodge of Elks 1954, in cooperation with the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce and Main Street merchants, will be holding a Street Fair Thursday, Aug. 23 from 4-10 p.m.
Main Street — from Blake Street to Academy Street — will be closed to regular traffic during this time as merchants will be join together for a block party on the closed section of the street.
“A Night at the Fair” is the theme for this year’s block party. Each Main Street merchant will adopt a county fair persona or activity as a theme to offer unique items or showcase some of their products during the event. Merchants with a regular place of business outside the Street Fair area will be moving to space made available by certain merchants within that area.
In addition to the special offerings by Main Street merchants, there will be entertainment and special activities. Live musical entertainment will be performed south of the Presque Isle Elks Lodge in the Key Bank parking lot. The Elks dunking booth will also be located nearby with a host of prospective “dunkees.” The Elks will be selling traditional county fair treats including cotton candy and snow cones. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Maine Children’s Cancer Program.
Children’s games and activities including bounce houses, face painting and sidewalk art will be located from Stew’s Downtown Sight and Sound to Academy Street. Roland Perry, a magician/comedian, will provide periodic magic shows for children.
“The Presque Isle Elks are extremely proud to again be working with the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce in organizing this fun event for downtown Presque Isle,” said Exalted Ruler Michael Lafrance. “As with previous Balloon Fests, this annual Main Street block party provides the local merchants an opportunity to showcase their products and the revitalization of downtown Presque Isle.
“The Elks hope everyone in the area will participate in this unique and fun event and reacquaint themselves with the high quality food, merchandise and services which continue to be offered downtown,” he said.
For more information, call the Elks Lodge at 764-0985 or Alan Harding, event chair, at 764-0131.
