By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — It may still say June on the calendar, but the Houlton Agricultural Fair/Fourth of July celebration will soon be upon us.
In preparation of the four-day event, organizers of the fair have been busy putting the finishing touches on this year’s schedule.
“We have lots of new stuff coming this year,” said Paul Cleary, fair president. “We will have a new show coming called the Brigade FMX Motorcycle Stunt Show. They will be doing 20-minute demonstrations and on Friday, July 4, there will be a two-hour show with motorcycle jumps, acrobatic stunts. It will be a high intensity show.”
Cleary said the group, which is based out of Minnesota, has not appeared at the Houlton Fair before and in fact has never appeared north of Portland.
Other new attractions include chainsaw carver Josh Landry; comedian hypnotist Michael Blaine; and a teen dance on Thursday from 7:30-10 p.m. with D.J. Jake Ball.
Inside the exhibit hall, a bacon cooking contest has been added to the usual array of baked goods, while Sunday, July 6 will feature two whoopie pie recipe contests. Residents may bring all of their treasures they have created over the long cold winter to the exhibit hall.
“We are looking for quilts, knitted and crocheted items, jams, jellies, pickles and photographs to be displayed in the hall and judged,” said Jodi Wellington, exhibit hall organizer. “Photography has changed in a few categories this year. Details are available in our premium booklet.
“This year we have also changed up our cooking contests,” she added. We will be having a ‘bacon’ day cooking contests which will start off with appetizers made with bacon, move on to dessert/candy made with bacon and finish up in the evening with an entree made with bacon. So dig out your favorite recipe that has bacon in it and entry it in our contest.”
Smokey’s Greater Shows will once again be providing the midway entertainment with 15-18 rides. This year may include bumper cars for the first time in several years, Cleary said.
For the sixth straight year, the gate fee for the fair remains $10 per person and includes all rides and entertainment. Advanced ticket passes will also be on sale Friday from 3-5 p.m. at the fair office and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of Yorks Bookstore in downtown Houlton. Advanced passbooks, featuring four tickets, are available for $30 including rides or $20 without rides.
For more information on the Houlton Agricultural Fair, visit the group’s Facebook page.
