With the coming of the Fourth of July next weekend, summer has officially arrived, even if the weather has yet to figure this out. Starting Thursday, the 2015 Houlton Agricultural Fair kicks off a four-day stint at Houlton Community Park, while Midnight Madness returns to downtown Houlton Friday, July 3.
The Fourth of July and Houlton go hand-in-hand. It is a time for family get-togethers and barbecues. It is also a time for graduates of Houlton High School, as well as those from neighboring schools, to return home for class reunions and relive memories from their youth.
For many, coming home over the Fourth of July is a tradition like no other. Take a stroll down Main Street or visit the fairgrounds and you are sure to bump into someone you have not seen in years. Most anyone who ever attended Houlton’s Agricultural Fair as a youth has fond memories of spending hours upon hours at Community Park, going on rides, eating the food, watching truck pulls or demolition derbies and of course, the fireworks shows.
The fair committee has done an admirable job coming up with a variety of events aimed to please all age groups with livestock, midway rides, demolition derby and the always popular truck pulls returning for the simple all-inclusive admission of $10.
The fair begins Thursday with a special free admission day. Having a free day is a great opportunity to entice those who may not normally attend, while still allowing those who wish to enjoy the rides to do so at a decent price. The midway begins at 3 p.m. and can be enjoyed by purchasing a $10 bracelet for rides. Many of the 4-H shows will be held this day as well, starting at 10 a.m. The day concludes with a performance by the County Ramblers at 7:30 p.m.
The fair board is to be commended for offering such a day so that those individuals who normally could not afford to visit the fair may do so.
The Mr. and Miss Firecracker and Sparkler pageant for children ages 2-4 returns this year. The pageant begins at 6 p.m. at the Gentle Memorial Building Thursday, July 2, and is always a big draw. Come early if you want to find a parking spot, otherwise you may be parking down at the Salvation Army store and walking.
On Friday, the fair gates swing open at 8 a.m. with “Children’s Day” events filling up nearly every hour of the day. If ice cream eating contests, pig scrambling, egg tossing and hula hooping sound appealing to your child (or your inner child), then the fair is the place to be.
Midnight Madness also kicks off its celebration Friday, July 3, with a wide variety of events slated in the downtown area. This year’s theme is “Totally Awesome 80s,” which I am not ashamed to admit is about the best thing I have heard of all year. Although my big hair from that period has long since faded, the memories of that era remain forever etched in my mind.
Once again, a portion of Market Square will be closed to traffic and transformed into a street fair atmosphere with sidewalk sales, street vendors, car shows and music. Fireworks will illuminate downtown near the Gateway Crossing Bridge around 9:30 p.m. If you have never visited downtown Houlton during Midnight Madness, you are missing out on a truly memorable evening.
On Saturday, July 4, Houlton’s Agricultural Fair opens at 8 a.m., followed by the town parade, sponsored by the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, at 10 a.m. Speak to anyone who watches the parade, and chances are they have “the best spot” picked out every year. For some, it is near the Cary Library, while others enjoy being in Market Square and countless more fill Pierce Park near the Houlton Police Department in order to catch the parade twice (as it heads down Main Street and comes back up Military Street).
Fair President Paul Cleary has stated this year’s fireworks show is bigger and better than last year. Based on how impressive last year’s show was, that is an ambitious goal that I am anxious to see. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. Last year, the fair had to close down early one day due to a tropical storm slamming the area, causing widespread damage. Hopefully the only explosions this year will be from the massive fireworks display the fair puts on each year.
The festival winds down Sunday with a full slate of motor vehicle events, including truck pulls, a car show and multiple demolition derbies before winding down at 8:15 p.m. with the annual $1,000 cash prize give-a-way.
The staff of the newspaper wishes everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
