HOULTON , Maine — Those who love spuds were in great company Friday and Saturday as the town celebrated the 56th annual Potato Feast Days.
“It was another amazing weekend for us,” said Jane Torres, executive director for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. “For those of you who didn’t get a chance to attend Potato Feast you missed a fabulous event. Speaking in superlatives comes easy to me when I talk about the town, but this event truly was Houlton at its finest. Sure, it helped that the weather was perfect and that Ted Bither and the Boys were the featured band, but really, it comes down to community involvement.”
The community was buzzing with activity over the two-day celebration as residents flocked downtown Friday evening. Youngsters lined the street for the annual “Parade of Dolls.” Starting at the Chamber office, children pushed strollers, pulled wagons or rode bicycles or tractors as they proudly showed off their favorite doll or stuffed animal.
The “Touch-a-Truck” event also drew a large number of children to Broadway as they were able to climb on fire trucks, tractors, garbage trucks and potato harvesters, and of course honk their horns.
Friday night’s lobster feast was once again another big hit, with more than 250 lobsters sold. It marked the fourth straight year that Houlton has held a lobster feed and interest has remained at high levels The first year, about 100 lobsters were ordered and organizers sold out in an hour. That prompted officials to increase the number ordered to ensure everyone who wished to have a lobster was able to do so.
Saturday was filled with children’s games in front of the Cary Memorial Library, ranging from the traditional potato sack race, to balancing a small potato on a spoon, speed picking of potatoes strewn about on the ground and a game of “hot potato.”
Saturday’s planned pig roast was cancelled earlier in the week, but the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association had a baked potato bar that proved to be a popular attraction for those looking to satisfy their spud taste buds.
“I truly believe that Friday and Saturdays events in Houlton were what this community is all about,” Torres said. “Friday night in Monument Park was perfect for three reasons: first, the weather was outstanding and when you throw 250 boiled lobsters into the picture you have happy people!
“Secondly, families crowded into the park to enjoy the parade, Touch-a-truck, a mini tractor pull, Houlton Farms Dairy lemonade and Pastry Corner cookies,” she continued. “They ran and played and enjoyed the evening as much as their parents. And thirdly, Ted and the Boys are a huge draw to any event and having them in our beautiful amphitheater was the icing on the cake. Those gentlemen know how to work a crowd and around 400 stayed until the last song was played.”
A highlight of Saturday was the kids Potato games, Torres added. “They had so much fun ‘picking’ potatoes even though we assured them that freezing cold mornings and lots of mud and dirt made it a little different from their experience on the lawn of the library. You can’t possibly put a price on an event like this and how great it is for the community.”
