By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — It may not feel like it weather wise, but Fourth of July festivites are fast approaching.
Summer in southern Aroostook County is a time for fairs, festivals and events that are sure to delight visitors and residents alike.
The 26th annual Midnight Madness celebration kicks off the patriotic holiday festivities in Houlton on Wednesday, July 3, starting at 4 p.m. and continuing to midnight. Originally a sale-only event with bargains increasing in value as the evening wore on, today’s festivity has evolved into a street fair celebration with sidewalk vendors, music, car shows and food booths.
“Midnight Madness is one of our most popular events of the summer and this year should be no exception,” said Jane Torres, executive director for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.
Hundreds of residents flock to the streets of downtown Market Square for this event, which features an atmosphere of an old-fashioned street festival. Not limited to just downtown merchants, many stores in town stay open late, offering discounts and sales that increase in value as the night wears on.
More than 50 retail merchants participated in Midnight Madness last year, opening their doors with sales to the public.
Market Square in downtown Houlton is partially closed to vehicle traffic for the evening, allowing bargain hunters and those wishing to kick up their heels to roam freely through the streets. Secondary events, such as a performance by McGill’s Community Band in Monument Park, street vendors and musical performances in Market Square by local bands have been added through the years.
Vendors from the popular Community Market, held Saturdays throughout the summer, will also be on-hand throughout the afternoon and evening, showcasing locally crafted goods, Torres said.
For more information, call the chamber at 207-532-4216 or visit www.greaterhoulton.com.
Houlton’s heritage is celebrated with the 2013 Houlton Agricultural Fair, set for Thursday, July 4 to Sunday, July 7. Thousands come to the Shiretown to see the town’s massive parade before heading over to Houlton Community Park to enjoy the fair.
Admission to the fair remains unchanged for the sixth straight year. The cost is $10 per person to enter the fairgrounds and includes all midway rides and entertainment on site. Children under the age of 2 are free. A special gate fee of $5 will be offered Thursday, July 4, starting at 8 p.m. for people to watch fireworks (rides not included) and Friday, July 5, from 6-9 p.m.
The fair is where one can get a glimpse of what life was like in the “good old days” with the many livestock exhibits and shows. There’s also plenty of motor sports activities to satisfy the need for speed and engine noise with the always-popular demolition derby, mud runs and truck pulls. Antique tractor pulls have been added this year, giving people a chance to see tractors from yesteryear in action.
Thursday’s July 4 schedule starts off with the giant parade through downtown at 10 a.m.; the exhibit halls and midway open at 11 a.m.; the popular mud runs will be at 1 p.m.; and fireworks take place at 9:15 p.m.
On Friday, July 5, events include a horse show at 9 a.m.; pig scrambles; and kids contests taking place throughout the day. On Saturday, July 6, the North Country Cruisers will hold a car show on the softball field and the always-popular demolition derby roars in at 4 p.m. The fair winds down Sunday, July 7, with a cow plop contest; 50-50 drawing and truck pulls.
A full schedule will appear in next week’s issue of the Houlton Pioneer Times.
A look back
at the Fair’s history
The Houlton Agricultural Fair has a very old history dating back to 1848 when the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Society held their first fair in Houlton. Historical data reveals that this fair went on for many years. There were at least three fairgrounds/trotting parks in Houlton, including one where the Houlton Regional Hospital now sits and one in the area of the Congregational Church on High Street. The event eventually found a home in Community Park.
In the early 1900’s, a group of 10 men, who were involved in the Fair, purchased the land where Community Park is and down all the way to Pleasant Street.
This group in turn, sold the property to the Fair Association, who continued to run the fair until the 1920s. From then on, the fair’s history is spotty as there were some years they did not have the fair. In the mid-1940s the fair sold its property to the town of Houlton for a dollar and other valuable considerations.
When the Houlton Fair “restarted” again, in 1987, it started with a few thousand people attending the exhibits, contests, competitions and entertainment. To become a licensed state Agricultural Fair, a group must apply to the state for fair dates to run their event. The state then gives the group the criteria it will be evaluated on for each of the three provisional years. At the end of the trial period, after meeting all the requirements, the event was awarded a license to operate.
For more information on the fair, visit www.houltonfair.com.
