HOULTON, Maine — Not even a tropical storm can dampen the spirits of attendees at the Houlton Agricultural Fair.
Despite having to cancel an entire day of events on Saturday, due to the intense wind and rain caused by Tropical Storm Arthur, the majority of scheduled events were held this year, thanks to some creative juggling of the schedule. Fair President Paul Cleary said it was the first time he can recall that the fair had to cancel an entire day of events.
“We had a pretty good fair this year,” Cleary said. “We have lots of positive comments and a lot of people were so pleased with what we did on Sunday.”
Because the fair was closed on Saturday, the demolition derby, which is one of the largest draws on a yearly basis, was moved to Sunday. To accommodate the change, truck pulls were pushed up an hour so that the area could be converted from a truck pull area to a derby pit.
“At the end of the day, when the fair was over, it was all worth it,” Cleary said. “Everyone pitched in to help make the transition happen. The biggest problem was just getting the word out. People coming in Sunday were great.”
One of the fair’s other main attractions, the Brigade FMX freestyle motocross show, was cancelled Friday due to wet conditions. The fireworks show was held on the Fourth, albeit under a constant light rain.
“We were one of only a handful of places in the state to actually have our fireworks on the Fourth,” Cleary said.
An estimated 3,800 people passed through the gates on Sunday. Numbers for July 4 were down somewhat because of the damp weather with about 2,800 people attending. The fair traditionally averages 4,500-5,000 people, Cleary said. The fair also competed with Midnight Madness events on July 3, which led to lower than normal attendance for the day.
The annual July 4th parade, sponsored by the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, drew thousands to the Shiretown in what has become an annual tradition to kick off the holiday. Featuring a marching band, clowns, fire trucks, beauty queens, and, of course, plenty of tractors, the annual parade once again provided entertainment for those who lined the streets.
The following winners were selected from the parade: Best Commercial Entry, Houlton Fire Department; Best Non-Commercial Entry, McGill’s Community Band; Best Agricultural Entry, Bartlett Farms; Best Patriotic Entry, Fireman Fred; Chairman’s Choice, United States Marine Corps; and Best Walking Entry, County Clownz.
Area children had multiple chances to win prizes at the fair as part of the free games offered. The following is a recap of the various winners of both the children and adult games at the fair this year.
Thursday, July 3
Ice Cream Eating Contest — Under 10 years of age: 1, Rachael Fitzgibbons; and 2, Rylen Kahlbaugh. 10 and older: 1, Dylan Crockett; and 2, Isaac Jurson.
Hula Hoop Contest — Under 10: 1, Lauren Robinson and 2, Amanda Poulin; 11 and older: 1, Cameron Callnan; and 2, Lena Carver.
Bubblegum Blowing Contest — Under 10: 1, Madalyn Quirk and 2, Connor Hickey; 10 and older, 1, Renee Grant and 2, Jen Hickey.
Egg Toss — 1, Ethan Rediker and Tanner Goff; and 2, Sofia Martellini and Jonathan Martellini.
Friday, July 4
Kiddie Tractor Pull — Under 45 pounds, Hayden Maker; 45-60 pounds, Amelia Callnan; and over 60 pounds, Landon Botting.
Softball Toss — 1, Tyler Bailey; 2, Gavin Shaw; and 3, Logan Swallow.
Egg Toss — 1, Cameron Callnan and Tyler Bailey; and 2, Becky Crandall and Jesse Brown.
Soccer Kick — 1, Amelia Callnan; 2, Orrin Dionne; and 3, Brock Black.
Salsa Chugging — Timothy Murdock.
Burping Contest — Phil Polk.
Houlton Farms Lemonade Chugging — Kristopher Foster.
Sunday, July 6
Skillet Throw — Male division: 1, Noah Blevins; and 2, Austin Winslow. Female division: 1, Bethany Callnan; and 2, Lauren Tucker.
Egg Toss —1, Cameron Callnan and Tyler Bailey; and 2, Heidi Thompson and Elijah Thompson.
3-Legged Hackey Sack — 1, James Keaton and Tanner Rossignol; and 2, Isaac Jurson and Dylan Jurson.
