Local Elks Lodge
to host fun-filled Street Fair
PRESQUE ISLE – To kick off the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, the Presque Isle Lodge of Elks 1954 is planning a Street Fair beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26. According to Elks Exalted Ruler Ernest Lovely, Main Street – from Blake Street to Academy Street – will be closed to regular traffic from 4-10 p.m. Merchants from the entire length of Main Street will be joining together for a block party in the closed section of Main Street.
The theme for this year’s downtown Presque Isle party during the annual Balloon Fest is, “Overflight of Festivals of Maine.” Each Main Street merchant will be using a different Maine festival as a theme to offer unique items or showcase certain products during the night. Those merchants whose regular place of business is outside the designated section will be moving to street space made available by certain merchants within that area.
The following is a list of the festival themes adopted by just some of the Main Street merchants participating in this year’s event:
• Café Sorpreso – Machias Wild Blueberry Festival.
• Governor’s Restaurant – Maine Lobster Festival.
• Riverside Restaurant – Yarmouth Clam Festival.
• Mai Tai – MDI Garlic Festival.
• Congressman Michael Michaud’s office – Apple Festival.
• Wilder’s – Autumnfest.
• Clukey’s Auto Supply – Wheels on the Waterfront.
• Morning Star Art & Framing – Maine Potato Blossom Festival.
• Northeastland Hotel – Parrot Head Festival/Bust ‘n Burn Festival.
• Theresa’s Café & Bakery – Dover Foxcroft Whoopie Pie Festival.
• Dead River Food Trend – Town of Mexico Cinco de Mayo Festival.
• Key Bank and MPG Truck and Tractor – Northern Maine Fair and Music Festival.
• Salvation Army – Native American Festival.
• Hand Me Down Antiques – Good Ole Days.
In addition to the special offerings by Main Street merchants, there will be entertainment and special activities from Blake Street to Academy Street. Presque Isle’s auto dealers will be hosting a new car show with a diverse collection of motor vehicles sure to interest everyone, from sports cars, such as a Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, to luxury cars and loaded pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Clukey’s Auto Supply will be hosting a show of classic, antique, and muscle cars.
Live musical entertainment will be performed on a stage to be located on State Street, east of Main Street. At the same time, faculty from SAD 1 will be staffing the Elks’ dunking booth. Proceeds from both the dunking booth, as well as the sale of pizza donated by Little Ceasar’s Pizza are designated for SAD 1’s student emergency fund.
Children’s games and activities, including sidewalk art, will be located near the Braden Theater and Wilder’s Jewelry. Special entertainment for children, including Roland Perry’s comedy magic, will be featured at that location.
“The Presque Isle Elks are extremely proud of the exterior renovations being made to our lodge’s building on the corner of Main and Hall streets,” said Lovely.
“This year’s Balloon Fest downtown activities offer our lodge a special opportunity to showcase the revitalization of Presque Isle’s downtown, including our lodge, which is one of the largest buildings on Main Street,” he said. “The Elks hope everyone in the area will join us for this festival event and reacquaint themselves with everything which is now offered in downtown Presque Isle.”
For more information about the Street Fair, call the Elks Lodge at 764-0985 or Alan Harding, event chair, at 764-0131.
