Little Klee Mackay of Littleton tries to wiggle her way under the limbo bar during Midnight Madness Friday evening. (Joseph Cyr | Pioneer Times)
HOULTON, Maine — Thousands of spectators filled Houlton’s historic downtown Friday evening for the 31st annual Midnight Madness celebration.
“Under the threat of rain all day, around 4 p.m. things suddenly changed and blue sky signaled the start of what was to be a record breaking Midnight Madness,” said Jane Torres, executive director for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. “The food vendors had a fabulous evening and sold out of almost everything. The Knights of Columbus said it was their best night ever, and the chamber sold out of strawberry shortcake by 8 p.m.”
The evening started slowly but picked up as the night wore on. The event typically draws as many as 6,000 people to Market Square during the course of the evening. Torres said the initial indications were this year’s event far exceeded the 6,000 mark, but she did not have an exact estimate on just how many people attended.
The downtown area was blocked off to traffic, allowing people to roam freely on both sides of Market Square. Reports from the merchants were positive, Torres added. The fireworks show over the Gateway Crossing bridge was once again one of the night’s most popular attractions.
“It’s a wonderful moment when you hear the cheer go up from the crowd signaling the end of a great event,” she said.
