7th annual Moosestompers Ice Fishing Derby. Base Camp and weigh-in located at Rairdon’s Bait Shop, New Limerick. Pre-registration deadline is 8 p.m. Friday. Derby will be held on Saturday, Feb. 19 and Sunday, Feb. 20. (All fish must be caught in Drews, Nickerson, Cochrane, Bradbury Lakes, or Mill Pond).
All weigh-ins are due by 3 p.m. on Sunday at Rairdon’s Bait Shop. Cash Draw Grand Prize $500. You don’t even have to fish, just stop by one of the local vendors and buy a ticket!
Raffle prizes will include a Jiffy Ice Auger as well as bonus door prizes. Registration forms are available at Mac’s Trading Post in Houlton, Grand Lake Variety in Weston, Cameron’s Market in New Limerick or Rairdon’s Bait Shop in New Limerick. Please call Dave at 207-694-1621 for further details.
6 p.m. Houlton/Hodgdon Blackhawks varsity hockey – Houlton vs. Orono (Millar Civic Center)
7 p.m. Moosestompin’ snowmobiles on parade. Decorate your sled, round up your buddies and meet everybody at Community Park at 7 p.m. for a ride through town and back to Community Park for the huge bonfire!
This year’s parade will hopefully include many of the old antique beauties we enjoy seeing. Participants receive an extra card towards the Poker Run on Saturday.
The route this year will start at Community Park, go down Randall Street, Pleasant Street, cut across by the rec center, down Main Street, down Broadway, up Military Street, toward park via Willard Street and end at Community Park. Check the website or tune in to WHOU-FM 100.1 for cancellations.
8 p.m. Outside skating – Houlton Community Park. *Mother Nature Permitting* Hot chocolate provided by the Houlton Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary.
8 p.m. Bonfire! – Community Park. Join everyone after the parade for a huge bonfire provided by Houlton Fire Department and hot chocolate by the ladies auxiliary. If the parade is cancelled the bonfire is cancelled too.
Saturday, Feb. 19
6 a.m. – Noon registration for the seventh annual Moosestompers Ice Fishing Derby. Saturday & Sunday registrations will only be accepted at Rairdon’s Bait Shop.
6-10:00 a.m. Meduxnekeag Ramblers special breakfast. With all of the activity and calories you are going to burn being outside snow sledding, cross-country skiing and playing in the Moosestompers games; you are going to need a good foundation of food in your belly!
Wander on up to Meduxnekeag Ramblers Snowsled Club on the Wiley Road in Littleton by sled, car, or even hitchhike if you have to. Cost is $6 for adults and $2 for children under 12.
The cooks are the best and friendliest! Buy a ticket to enter the 50/50 drawing. Menu includes baked ham, baked beans, homemade donuts and muffins, special pastries, bacon, eggs and all the fixings.
Family snowman sculpting contest – Community Park. Kids get mom and dad, your brothers and sisters, even gram and gramp out to build the wildest, craziest, funniest or most traditional snowman you can imagine.
There are no rules other than having family fun and building a snowman for everyone to admire and judge. Prizes for the Most Traditional, Funniest, Most Creative and Best Family Look-a-like. Pick a spot at the corner of the parking lot and make Frosty proud. Judging will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20.
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. SAMHA hockey games – Millar Civic Center. Bantam/Midgets hockey. Great entertainment for the whole family.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Houlton Power Sports Yamaha demo rides – 519 North Street. Houlton Power Sports is hosting a Yamaha open-house with free demo rides on the new Yamaha line-up from the site.
Look for the Yamaha demo trailer and stop in to take a test drive. Proper attire required and not provided. (Helmet, gloves, boots and jacket needed for all riders).
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Moosestompers Poker Run by the Meduxnekeag Ramblers. Poker run registration is from 6-10 a.m. during the breakfast at the Meduxnekeag Ramblers clubhouse. Maps will be available. Poker Run course will be announced at the breakfast where you pick up your first card. Don’t miss out on an excellent ride weather permitting.
The trails are groomed perfectly and the atmosphere is filled with fun. Cost is $7 per hand or two hands for $10. Riding in the Moosestompers Parade Friday night, gets you an extra card. Poker Run is open to anyone on a sled or vehicle!
Ample parking for vehicles and trailers. Please follow the signs and be safe. Proceeds will be used to benefit trail maintenance projects. No worries, if you don’t have a sled you can pick up your full hand at the breakfast.
First prize -$100, second prize -$75, and third prize -$50.
9 a.m. The ‘Giant Hill’ opens for sliding! Throughout the weekend, enjoy Derby Hill sliding! Bring your flying saucer, toboggan, or a cardboard box and have fun with your friends and neighbors sliding.
10:45 a.m. Walk and 11 a.m. 27th annual Wild Katahdin Trust Snow Run. First race in the Aroostook Mustards County Challenge Series. Registration from 9:30-10:35 a.m. in the Millar Civic Center’s large function room (upstairs overlooking skating rink).
Fee is $10 with a T-shirt to the first 50 registered participants. The walk begins at 10:45 a.m. and -the run at 11a.m. The course starts and finishes at the Millar Civic Center’s front entrance. An adult guardian must accompany children under 10 years of age. Changing rooms available adjacent to skating rink.
Categories; 5K Run: 14 and under, 5-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over. Proceeds benefit the local Maine Army National Guard Family Readiness Support Group. Refreshments available after the walk/run. The awards ceremony will be held at 11:45 a.m., which will include the first five finishers in the walking category, and first and second in each age category (male and female) in running. Special awards: first-place three-member male and female teams; “Mean Runner” and “Guts” award. For more information contact Brent Bailey 532-0974 or Larry Tonzi at 532-7548 or email at Tonzimaine@gmail.com. This will be an invigorating and healthy event to participate in for a very good cause! Everyone is welcome to join!
11 a.m. Sawdust prize search – Community Park. The North Country Cruisers are sponsoring a sawdust prize search. Everyone is a winner!
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Food concessions open – Community Park. Miss breakfast? The Houlton Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary has you covered! Visit the log cabin at the park for a warm up and a snack or two, food available inside the Millar Civic Center also. Concessions are open with your favorite vittles!
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free horse drawn sleigh rides – Community Park.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Heywood Kennels – Racing Alaskan Huskies. Mushers Linda Howe and Kevin Quist will have their dog’s here to offer free dog sled rides at Community Park. You will love to have a ride through the snow with the friendly working huskies.
11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Human Dog Sled race – Community Park.
12-1 p.m. Third annual sliding race – The Derby Hill. Bring your sleds to Derby Hill for the third annual sliding race. Age groups 6 and under; 7 to 9; and 10 to 13. Prizes and trophies awarded.
12-2 p.m. Antique and Vintage Snowmobile Show – Community Park. Sponsored by Houlton Power Sports. Bring in your newly restored or vintage and antique sleds to the park to show everyone your beauties. Prizes include a $100 People’s Choice award and a $50 Honorable Mention for the Oldest Sled on the lot. Show the kids the classics that we all grew up on. Come join the fun!
12-3 p.m. First Cross-Country Ski Poker Run – Houlton Community Park. Young and old alike, all are welcome to join us in the first cross-country Ski Poker run. Trails will be designated with stops around the Bird Farm to gather your winning hands warm up and enjoy the trek. Limited youth sized skis will be available at the starting line. Two separate routes will be groomed with an extra card for everyone taking the long way home! Prizes for the best youth hand and best adult hand.
12:30-3:30 p.m. Public skating – Millar Civic Center
12:30 p.m. Free admission to the Temple Theatre. Enjoy the free admission to see a children’s movie. Keep your eyes on the Temple Theater marquee for featured movie. Compliments of Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.
1 p.m. Half Dollar Scramble for Kids – Community Park
Age groups 6 and under; 7 to 9; and 10 to 13! Here is where the kids make all the money! We have three piles of snow mixed with a generous helping of over $400 worth of half dollars, the kids will go into a feeding frenzy digging, searching and trying to find the cash!
Everybody goes away with a fistful of half dollars! Special thanks to, TD Bank, Machias Savings Bank, Houlton Savings Bank of Maine, Houlton Federal Credit Union and Key Bank.
*Awards will be given to all winners following each park event. Congratulations to all!*
2 p.m. Bonfire! – Community Park. If you missed the first bonfire, here’s another chance to be warmed up with some hot chocolate and food provided by the Houlton Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.
2:30-3 p.m. Human Curling – Millar Civic Center. No need for brooms – just brawn!
3-7 p.m. “G-Force” Laser Tag – Gentle Memorial Recreation Center. Sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank. Laser Tag is best described as “like getting inside a video game.” This is not a sit down, couch potato game; you are playing against real people, indoors, in a team environment, while building self-confidence through interactive play. It’s also just plain fun. For ages 6 (accompanied by an adult) to 76! Proceeds to benefit the Houlton Parks and Recreation “Just for Kids Program.” Ages 6 -12 game time from 3-5 p.m.: ages 12 and up from 5-7 p.m. Admission is just $10 for two hours of play!
5:30-8 p.m. Free public skating – Millar Civic Center. Ice resurfacing every two hours.
9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Double Tap Blues – Meduxnekeag Ramblers clubhouse. Sponsored by the Meduxnekeag Ramblers. Double Tap Blues is a local band that will help you rock the winter blues away and dance off some of those holiday desserts that are still hanging on. All proceeds go to Project Graduation. Come stomp ‘til you drop.
Sunday, Feb. 20
9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Houlton Power Sports Yamaha demo rides – 519 North Street. Houlton Power Sports is hosting a Yamaha open-house with free demo rides on the new Yamaha line-up from the site.
Look for the Yamaha demo trailer and stop in to take a test drive. Proper attire required and not provided. (Helmet, gloves, boots and jacket needed for all riders).
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. SAMHA Mites games – Millar Civic Center.
11 a.m. ‘Giant’ sliding hill reopens! Round up the family; spread the word with your friends and neighbors. See you at the Derby Hill!
11a.m. to 3 p.m. Heywood Kennels – Racing Alaskan Huskies. Mushers Linda Howe and Kevin Quist will have their dog’s here to offer free dog sled rides at Community Park. You will love to have a ride through the snow with the friendly working huskies.
12 p.m. Sled rides. Free sled rides to anyone who wants to go for a spin!
12:30 pm Free admission to the Temple Theatre. Enjoy the free admission to see a children’s movie. Keep your eyes on the Temple Theater marquee for featured movie. Compliments of Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.
12 to 3 p.m. Snow Wiffle Ball – Community Park. Everybody loves wiffle ball. Now try a new twist … do it in the snowy cold of February. Sign up at the Houlton Recreation Center, Millar Civic Center, Chamber of Commerce or the Houlton Town Office. The event will run as a single elimination tournament with prizes for the Best Uniforms, MVP’s, Best Team Name, runnerup and a championship trophy for the winners. We’ll supply the balls, you bring your bat. Get the office together or friends and family and take on the elements and a frosty foe to be crowned as the tournament champs!
3 p.m. All fish must be weighed in at Rairdon’s Bait Shop for the seventh annual Moosestompers Ice Fishing Derby. Call David Rairdon at 532-7040 or 6941621 for more information.
3:15-5:15 p.m. Hogan Tire Shootout. You don’t need to be a member of SAMHA to show off your skills. Everyone from age groups 5 to18 are welcome to compete. There will be a competition in spring skating, puck performance and radar slap shot categories. Thank you, Bill Higgins and Hogan Tire for your years of hockey support! Door prizes will be available. This just may be the best shootout ever!
5:30-7:30 p.m. Free public skating – Millar Civic Center.
Stay tuned to radio station WHOU 100.1 FM, local TV channel 10, or the website www.moosestompers.com for cancellations of events.
All activities take place at Community Park in Houlton, unless otherwise indicated (i.e. snowmobile club activities). Most events are located between the Millar Civic Center, the sliding hill and baseball fields.
FOOD DRIVE
Adopt-A-Block of Aroostook is coordinating this year’s food drive during the Moosestompers Weekend events. Please bring nonperishable food items to the John A. Millar Civic Center or drop your donations off at participating businesses or organizations during the weekend. Local families need your help and this is a great way to show you care! The following are local drop off sites: Millar Civic Center, Gentle Memorial Building, Madigan Estates, Meduxnekeag Rambler’s snowsled clubhouse, and many other local businesses. Look for the Adopt-A-Block drop boxes at area stores!
