PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Aroostook County Brew and Wine Festival planned for October will be canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions, organizers said Friday.
The festival joins a growing list of Presque Isle area events — including the Maine Potato Blossom Festival and Crown of Maine Balloon Festival — that have been canceled or scaled back because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement on the festival’s Facebook page late Friday, organizers said that while they did not make the decision “lightly,” restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to hold the event this year. The festival had been scheduled to take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.
“We hope to bring this back next year with the same excitement we have always had,” the organizers said. “We will miss all our brewers as well as our customers.”
The event featured live music and gave attendees the opportunity to sample various beers, wines and ciders, with several available on tap.
However, the close-quarters socializing common at such festivals is problematic as COVID-19 outbreaks continue to occur nationally. Executive orders from Gov. Janet Mills’ civil state of emergency restrict the number of people at an indoor gathering to 50, while outdoor gathering limits are set at 100. Previous festivals drew hundreds of people. The Brew and Wine Festival was launched by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, the Nordic Heritage Center, Aroostook Hops and Maine Malt House in 2015 to highlight The County’s growing craft beer industry and promote central Aroostook’s economy.
The chamber collaborated with the Aroostook Shrine Club to organize last year’s event.
