PATTEN, Maine — Hundreds of people flocked to Patten last weekend for a celebration of fiddles of ferns.
The sixth annual Fiddlers and Fiddlehead Festival returned to the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum on Saturday, May 18, at 61 Shin Pond Road.
Fiddlers from around the state performed on stage. A number of artisans, craftsmen, and food vendors were on hand to cook for the crowd and demonstrate their crafts.
Michelle Hanningan of Houlton, one of the visitors to the festival, said that it was her third time attending. She purchased maple syrup from Gould Farm Maple Syrup and Ice Cream.
“There is nothing like fresh maple syrup,” she said Thursday. “We like it right from the tree.”
Hannigan also said that her children, McKenna and Max, enjoyed the music at the festival, including the tunes from the Belfest Bay Fiddlers.
“They are still young, and I like to introduce them to a wide variety of music,” she said.
There were a variety of games available for young people, including tours of the museum, a giant slingshot, and a scavenger hunt.
Jessica Hughes of Presque Isle said she enjoyed the festival with her two children. She said that her family “loved” the music of Jeff Hamm and Katahdin Country.
“It was a really wonderful festival,” she said. “My daughter bought an apple pie, which we had a few slices of right there on the grounds. It was delicious.”
