Joan Connolly, of the Perham syrup business, says that they have been providing homemade syrup to local residents for nearly two decades. They also provide maple butter, which Connolly says is “delicious.”
Salmon Brook Valley is a family business, with roughly 10 family members helping out during the spring.
“Business has been terrific this year,” said Connolly, adding that the reception at the street festival has been good so far.
“Sweden Street is great,” said Jeanne Snyder, who also represented the Perham business. “Look at the people out here. This is fantastic.”
Further down the street, the husband-and-wife team of Gemsations sold a variety of different stones and jewelry.
“We travel and sell at street fairs and festivals throughout all of Maine,” said co-owner Doris Cushman. “We used to go to New Hampshire and Massachusetts, but now we’re pretty much staying in Maine. We have rocks, minerals, fossils, and stone jewelry,” she added.
Despite living in Caribou and being in business for 19 years, last Thursday marked the Cushmans’ first appearance at the festival.
“We used to be in the mall at Presque Isle for Christmas almost every year, but now we mostly do festivals and craft shows. It has been successful,” added Cushman, “and we would be doing even better if we decided to run the business full-time.”
According to Doris, the possibility of operating full-time may happen when her husband James retires. James Cushman is a math and science teacher at Caribou High School, and it was his interest in science that contributed to the inspiration for the Earth-focused business.
“People have been buying already,” said Doris just an hour into the festival, “and Lydia Kieffer has been a great help in terms of showing us where to set up. Hopefully more people come every time throughout the summer.”
Looking ahead, there will be six more “Thursdays” events this summer, with the next event taking place June 16, and the final event landing on August 25.
