HOULTON, Maine — How many people does it take to make Potato Feast Days a successful event? From 8 a.m. on Friday when set up for the Lobster Feast begins to late into the day on Sunday with the breakdown of the Friends and Needles Quilt Show it’s safe to say that around 100 people have put in many hours to make this an event the people in the greater Houlton area will enjoy. It really does boggle the mind when you think about all of those who have a hand in putting it together. Without the dedicated hours of work by a crew of volunteers this is one weekend that would be impossible to pull off!
This year’s Lobster Feast and concert in Monument Park was a great kick off to what was to be a beautiful weekend. The weather was supposed to be perfect and 275 lobsters were brought up from the coast along with fresh corn and newly dug organic potatoes from Natures Circle Farm. The tents were set up in the park, the potatoes went into the oven, the water was set to boil and then what happened? A few sprinkles turned into a deluge. Welcome to my world.
The kids and adults, who I am sure were the ones playing with the sirens and horns of the Touch-a-Trucks, didn’t let the early damp weather stop them. They lined up for the Doll and Wagon Wrangler Parade and, led by Officer McGuire of the Houlton Police Department, marched to the music of Tim the Tuneman and his magic purple bus through Market Square. They enjoyed juice and cookies and balloons donated by Bangor Savings Bank and then searched for 50 cent pieces in a huge pile of shavings!
The interesting thing is that, despite the downpour, people came to Monument Park, enjoyed lobster, set up their chairs and settled in for a concert from Ted and the Boys. Coffee and cookies were served to the hardy folks who, even though it briefly started to sprinkle again, stayed to listen to great music and visit with old friends. It’s moments like this that makes all the work worthwhile.
Saturday dawned bright and beautiful and the reason I know this? Lori Weston and I were back in the park at 5:30 a.m. to set up for the Craft Fair then proceeded to Market Square to set up for the Community Market. This year’s market has exceeded all expectations and Saturday brought almost all the members to sell their wares on one of the few perfect weather days that they have experienced this summer.
The future County Co-op and Farm Store board members were giving out samples of locally made foods and informational packets to anyone curious about what a co-op was all about. York’s Book Store had their annual author book signing and the area merchants had sidewalk sales to liven up the day.
The great thing about the Craft Fair was that it was a short walk from Community Market and it seemed that the crowd was very open to walking from one place to the other. The crafters were selling an interesting array of goods from food to baked goods to hand-made items, but our favorite part of the day had to be the children’s games in front of the Cary Library. Potato sack races, a Spuddy the Potato decorating contest, hot potato, toss the potato, a potato basket pinata and the, ever popular, potato picking event were enthusiastically received by children ages 3-11.
Winners of the Hot Potato contest were: ages 3-6, first, Amelia Callnan; second, Cadence Acott and third, Gemma Wells.
Potato sack race: First, Tia Burlock; second, Callnan and third, Acott.
Potato Picking: First, Callnan; second, Acott and third, Jake Porter.
Potato Toss winners: First, Ava Wells; second, Shane (Grass) and third, Waylon Davis.
For ages 7-11, Hot Potato winners came down to a duel between Vicki Porter, who nabbed first place, and Kai Flewelling, who was runner-up. Third place went to Tyler Gibbs.
Potato sack race winners: First, Tillie Margolies; second, Sabra Scott and third, Flewelling.
Potato Picking: First, Flewelling; second, Scott and third, Margaret Cowperthwaite.
Potato Toss: First, Flewelling; second, Cowperthwaite and third, Gibbs.
Next year the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary and Potato Feast will be 55 years old and you know what that means to the chamber office folks? Bigger and better, for sure!
