WASHBURN, Maine — The Washburn August Festival will return for the first time in two years with activities celebrating the rural farming lifestyle that defined the area for much of its history.
The festival will run from Aug. 20-22 and feature events such as a social hour and alumni banquet, musical performances, community meals, an arts and craft fair and family activities at the library.
But the main focus of the weekend, noted festival committee member Cindy Richendollar, will be the theme of “Celebrating Our Tri-Community Agricultural History.”
“The Salmon Brook Historical Society will be the center of all of that,” Richendollar said.
During the festival, the historical society will open its Aroostook Agricultural Museum and Benjamin Wilder House from 5 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 21 and noon to 2 p.m. on Aug. 22. Society member Peter Wilcox will host a rope making demonstration at the museum at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 21.
Originally built in 1852, the Benjamin Wilder House is named after the man who became the first postmaster in the town of Salmon Brook Falls, which was incorporated as Washburn in 1861. Wilder was also a local farmer.
The original Wilder barn burned in 1938 and was rebuilt in 1989 using funds raised from the historical society. The Aroostook Agricultural Museum now houses farming equipment and other artifacts from the Wilder era such as clothing and family heirlooms.
Richendollar and the festival committee are encouraging people to check out the museum and learn more about the farming history of Washburn, Wade and Perham.
“All three towns used to be farming communities. There’s still a lot of farmland but there are fewer farmers,” Richendollar said. “We’d like people to appreciate the history and the advances that have been made in the potato farming equipment.”
As with all Washburn festivals, the committee has chosen a “king and queen” to represent one of the three towns of the region. This year Bill and Carol White of Washburn will serve in those titles.
Bill White grew up in Wade as the youngest of 11 children in a farming family and began farming with two of his brothers after his father passed away. He and Carol moved to Crouseville and raised their two sons there while tending to their own farm. They will celebrate 50 years of marriage and farming later this year.
“We always have a king and queen and we rotate between the three towns,” Richendollar said. “This year we wanted a couple who is associated with the farming community.”
The Whites will take part in one of the festival’s most popular traditions: the annual parade, which will occur Saturday, Aug. 21 at 10 a.m. The parade will begin at the Washburn Pentecostal Church and move down Main Street before stopping at Washburn District High School.
People wishing to take part in the parade line-up should arrive at the high school parking lot starting at 8 a.m.
Most festival events will occur Aug. 21 and will include family friendly activities such as a scavenger hunt, escape room at the Washburn Rec Center, a drive-thru supper sponsored by the Methodist Church, a Merle Haggard tribute concert by Maine country singer Chris Fyfe and a fireworks display.
Over the years the festival has become an important way for families, friends and classmates to reunite and enjoy the qualities that make Washburn a great community, stated Richendollar.
“People like that we keep things family friendly. It’s a simple country-style weekend without a midway or anything commercial,” Richendollar said. “We’d like people to come and relax, enjoy the museum and get acquainted with old friends.”
A full schedule of events can be found on the Washburn August Festival Facebook page.
