Cup O’ Joe: It’s fair time once again

Houlton’s Agricultural Fair is fast approaching and festival organizers are hurriedly finishing up loose ends, getting Houlton’s Community Park ready for a bigger than usual celebration. The fair traditionally runs for four days, but because of the way the calendar falls this year, five days of events will take place at the park.
    The Fourth of July and Houlton go hand-in-hand. It is a time for family gatherings and barbecues. It is also a time for graduates of Houlton High School, as well as those from neighboring schools, to return home for class reunions and relive times from their youth. For many, coming home over the Fourth of July is a tradition like no other. Take a stroll down Main Street or at the fairgrounds and you are sure to bump into someone you have not seen in years.
Midnight Madness kicks off the celebration a day earlier this year, beginning Tuesday, July 3 with a wide variety of events slated in the downtown area. Once again, Market Square will be closed off and transformed into a street fair atmosphere with sidewalk sales, street vendors, car shows and music.
The Mr. and Miss Firecracker and Sparkler pageants return this year, after a two-year hiatus. The pageant begins at 6 p.m. at the Gentle Memorial Building. Based on its success of a year ago, fireworks will once again illuminate downtown near the Gateway Crossing Bridge sometime around 9:30 p.m.
On the Fourth, Houlton’s Agricultural Fair opens at 8 a.m., followed by the town parade at 10 p.m.
The fair committee has done an admirable job coming up with a variety of events aimed to please all age groups. The mud run has been replaced this year with antique tractor pulls, while the ever-popular demolition derby and truck pulls return this year. Another new feature will be a day of live and local music on Friday, July 6 from noon to close. Check out and support some of the area’s best musicians as they provide a full day’s worth of entertainment.
Since this is the first year that fireworks are now legal in the state, it will be interesting to see if any incidents or injuries occur as a result of mishaps with pyrotechnics. The town of Houlton drafted a fairly strict ordinance to regulate where and when fireworks can be set off.
Any person wishing to use fireworks may do so provided they are discharged in an area in excess of one acre. Also, fireworks may be discharged provided they are a minimum of 300 feet away from buildings, 100 feet away from wooded areas and 300 feet away from a public gathering of 25 or more people.
Fireworks are not allowed between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. except for two holidays. On July 4, they are banned from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., while on New Year’s Day, they are banned between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Also, use of fireworks is not allowed whenever there is a “high” risk of forest fires as displayed on the sign at the Houlton Fire Department or on the Maine Forest Service website: www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/firedanger/fire.html. And finally, the person discharging fireworks must be 21 years of age or older.
Fireworks will not be allowed inside Houlton Community Park, except for the professional pyrotechnic display the evening of July 4.
Though our office will not be open, the most recent issue of The Houlton Pioneer Times will be on the newsstands Wednesday, July 4 in time for the holidays.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.