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New Multi-Purpose Park Will Be

Home to County Bluegrass Festival

By:  David Deschesne

Fort Fairfield Journal  April 12, 2006, p. 1

FORT FAIRFIELD - Steve Rogeski has donated 25+ acres of land to the town of Fort Fairfield to be used as a new multi-purpose outdoor entertainment center and RV park.

    The land, located on the West Limestone Road, will be utilized this summer for the 4th annual County Bluegrass Festival - an event that has been gaining increasingly popular support from the participants and spectators.  “It normally takes five years for an event such as this to start breaking even,” said Shawn Murchison, Executive Director of the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce and event organizer.  “Last year was our third year and we were close to breaking even then.  This is becoming a very popular event.”

   There will be a 70x100 foot pole barn erected on the site to allow performers and spectators to be under cover.

   The new park replaces Heritage Park, the site of the last three Bluegrass Festivals.

   In addition to Bluegrass, the County Gospel Festival is also planned to be organized there as well.

   “There is no official name for the park, yet,” said Murchison.  “We are going to have a contest between the 4th through 7th grade classes at the school.”

  “We hope to have the students help us come up with a name.  The winning student will receive free passes for them and their family to the Bluegrass Festival, County Gospel Music Festival and free rides at the Midway during the Potato Blossom Festival.”

   Murchison plans to also allow the winning student’s class to bring objects to be placed in a time capsule at the new park’s location.

   An RV park will also be established to allow out of town visitors a place to park their RVs.  “The RV park could be utilized throughout the summer season, not just for the Music Festivals.”

   Other plans for the park are: horseshoe pits, walking trails, snowmobile drag races, ATV pulls and a scale version of a NASCAR track for Radio Controlled (RC) cars.

   A young Robert Deschesne, from Presque Isle envisions a scaled-down track, similar to Martinsville,      complete with fence, P.A. and lights for night racing. 

“Local RC enthusiasts would enjoy the track, which we hope could feature a major sponsor,” said Deschesne.  “We propose to conduct 100-lap competitions for the RC cars to race in for cash and prizes.”

   The proposed track would feature either an asphalt or cement surface, be 110 feet on the back stretch, and bleachers for spectators.

   “We could also plan a smaller dirt track on the infield of the larger track and allow the “off-road” RC cars and trucks to set up their own obstacle courses.”

   Deschesne indicates the RC track would be a welcome compliment to the Bluegrass and Gospel Festivals with children utilizing the proposed track’s  facilities while their parents enjoy the concert nearby.

   Those who wish to help with the RC track, pole barn or other attractions at the new community park may contact Shawn Murchison at 472-3802.