Fort Fairfield will boost its holiday spirit with several events this weekend.
The second annual Holiday Light Parade will wind down Main Street on Saturday, Dec. 9, followed by a community celebration. There will be a holiday craft fair all weekend at the community center, and the annual home decorating contest will end Sunday, Dec. 10.
The events are designed to unite the community in a festive mood, said Town Manager and Quality of Place Council member Tim Goff.
“It’s just a great thing for the town,” he said. “We’re lighting up our community in some of the darkest days of the year.”
Parade participants will start lining up at 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Main Street and Forest Avenue. The parade will step off at 4:30 and will travel through Main Street to Elm Street.
Fort Fairfield Police Chief Matthew Cummings organized the light parade last year because he felt the town needed a boost. There were 32 entries, and he wants to beat that this year.
“I had an idea last year. Everybody was kind of in a slump and the town just needed a real big pick-me-up,” he said. “I kind of threw it together on Facebook at the last minute and it was very well received.”
In fact, some people told him they’d never seen that many people downtown at a winter event, he said.
So far there are about 18 entries, and he’s still recruiting businesses.
The police department and Quality of Place Council, to which Cummings also belongs, are collaborating with the Fort Fairfield Fire Department and Parks and Recreation on a town-wide celebration to follow the parade.
The Holiday Fest will take place at the town’s community center, where there will be a live band playing holiday music, with cookies and cocoa for all to enjoy. Santa will appear for a meet-and-greet with the kids in the council chambers, where parents can take photos.
The town’s holiday craft fair will be ongoing at the center as well. Crafters and vendors will showcase their wares from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10.
The weekend will also feature judging of the town’s Celebration of Lights home decorating contest.
The Quality of Place Council is spearheading the lighting competition and will accept registrations until midnight on Saturday. Judging takes place Sunday, and people are asked to make sure their lights are on from 5 to 10 p.m.
The contest was on hiatus for a year, but so many people asked for its return that the council brought it back, Goff said.
Organizers will create a “map of lights” so people can plan to drive around town to find the displays.
To register for the parade, email Cummings at policechief@fortfairfield.org, or visit the police department Facebook page or town website for a link to a signup form. To sign up for the decorating contest, email ffqualityplace@yahoo.com or call 929-2440.
“I’m just hoping that this brings some holiday joy to everybody,” Cummings said. “People get the winter blues this time of year.”
