HOULTON, Maine — Janice Harris of Houlton had not been to the Houlton Agricultural Fair for more than 15 years until she joined her daughter, and son-in-law for her first trip back this past summer.
“They wanted me to go with them because a big group of their friends were going,” she said Friday. “I was more than happy to go, despite the fact that I knew I wouldn’t be going on any of the rides.”
When they got to the event, however, she was surprised to see that there were very few “adult” rides there, and more exhibits there, such as woodwork and crafts for sale.
“I think that would work well if that were a bigger fair or in combination with a larger midway,” she said. “But I just don’t think it works well with the small agricultural fair that Houlton has.”
Right now, the Houlton Agricultural Fair is re-examining itself as it attempts to pursue a loan in an attempt to reorganize after several years of declining revenue.
The news came to light during a Sept. 9 Houlton Town Council meeting. Nick Crane and Jeff McCarthy, both members of the Houlton Fair Board, told the council that the board was doing some restructuring. Longtime Fair President Paul Cleary has stepped down from the position.
“We have had a couple of not so good years,” said McCarthy. “We know what has gone wrong and what has gone right. So we have voted to take steps to assure we can go forward.”
The loan is part of the restructuring process, he said.
In Community Park, the fair board has a number of buildings that were built for the festivities with fair association money, but the town of Houlton owns the buildings as part of an agreement. Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary said Friday that any buildings constructed in Community Park under the agreement become property of the town.
The fair asked the town to use the buildings as collateral for a $185,000 loan from Katahdin Trust Company, which will be used for “reorganization purposes.”
Councilors had a number of questions about the proposal.
Town Manager Marian Anderson said that the municipality had secured a similar arrangement with the fair in 1994, and that Town Attorney Dan Nelson drew up documents for the deal.
She said that she had not seen the reorganization plan, but trusted Nelson to secure the necessary paperwork because it had been something the town had done before.
“I let him handle it because I agree that it is a little unusual,” she said. “But I know it also has been done before.”
Councilor Chris Robinson asked who would be responsible if the fair board defaulted on the loan.
Anderson said that Katahdin Trust Company would own the buildings if the fair defaulted, and the town would have no liability.
The matter was tabled during the Sept. 9 meeting but was on the agenda for the board’s Sept. 23 gathering.
Kayla Mitchell of Houlton said that she takes her three children to the fair every year. She said that she believes that they need a “better mix” of both children’s and adult’s rides in the future.
“I know that my older kids are bored after ten minutes because they think that most of the rides are for babies,” she said. “And I have to agree. I don’t think you can count the haunted house as really a ride, or those canoes that float around as a ride. And they don’t have enough rides for older kids or adults.”
Josh McAfee of Houlton agreed.
“That is why I like the Northern Maine Fair a bit more,” he said. “They have a better mix of kids and adults rides, plus good music. I agree that this year was not a great year for Houlton Fair. To pay your hard earned money fair the fair and to go and see people seeing crafts is not my idea of a good time. I think if the Houlton Fair makes just a few changes, they can attract more customers.”
Despite some of the negative comments, events such as the demolition derby, “tuff truck” competition and fireworks show drew large crowds during the fair.
