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61st Annual Potato Blossom Festival Draws Large Crowds with Several New Events

By: David Deschesne

Editor/Publisher, Fort Fairfield Journal, July 30, 2008, p.1

FORT FAIRFIELD - The 61st Annual Maine Potato Blossom Festival enjoyed good weather and great attendance while featuring several new events.

Incoming Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Janet Kelle is very happy with the turnout and credits a large volunteer base for helping pull things together. “There were around 50 wonderful volunteers who helped make things go very smoothly,” said Kelle, “The town’s Department heads were great, as well. Chief Bubar, Chief Durepo, Tom Towle and Tony Levesque were very supportive and came forward with a lot of advice for me during my first time in charge of such a large festival.”

The family Pet Show at Fields Lane drew a large audience and pet showing as usual and netted $130 for the Central Aroostook Humane Society’s animal shelter in Presque Isle.

New this year was an outdoor movie projected on a large 20 foot by 20 foot screen in the Middle/High School athletic field. “Cary Medical Center sponsored that event and it was very well attended,” said Kelle. “We estimate nearly 1,000 people of all ages enjoyed the movie.

There was no carnival this year, as has been in years past, but that was not due to lack of foresight by Festival programmers. “The company who provided our midway last year went out of business,” explained Kelle. “Smokey’s is the only other company in the area and they were committed to the Clam Festival that weekend.”

At a recent visit with the head of the Maine Fair Association, Kelle was told there were three or four Maine Fairs that would not have midways this year. “With insurance and fuel costs, it’s getting very expensive to put a midway on the road and there are fewer people willing to take on that challenge,” said Kelle.

In place of a carnival, other exciting events such as laser tag, “Guitar Hero” contest and Mashed Potato Wrestling kept festival-goers entertained.

One of the premier shows of the entire festival was the disco show band, Motor Booty Affair, who performed an energetic show for this year’s street dance. Approximately 2,000 people filled main street for the 2-1/2 hour show. “Terry Greenier, from I Care Pharmacy, was a major sponsor of that event and very instrumental in getting the band here and helping the show go on.”

This year’s Maine Potato Board Farm Family of the Year was the Bruce Roope family. The Roopes were honored at the annual Industry Dinner, which was held at the Fort Fairfield Community Center. The Fort Fairfield Lions Club once again provided the bar and did the cooking for the event.

For the Potato Blossom Festival Parade, the Cowboy Heritage Trail Riders were the Marshals. Steve Ulman, from CHTR was presented with a letter from Governor John Baldacci at the reviewing stand on behalf of the club.

“It is my pleasure to extend my congratulations on your successful and distinguished career,” wrote Governor Baldacci. “The work you do to promote and preserve horsemanship and the equestrian community in Maine is commendable. By remaining active in our communities, you are sustaining a way of life that is beneficial both socially and physically to participants.”

There were a myriad of other events scheduled at FARM Park, the Community Bandstand and Middle/High School. The Maine State Police provided a K9 demonstration with Fort Fairfield Police Chief Joe Bubar portraying the perpetrator during Family Fun Day on Sunday.

The festival concluded with a huge fireworks display over the Aroostook River while music for that event was provided by Jim Leighton.

Kelle encourages those who have pictures of the event, comments, or are willing to volunteer for next year’s festival to contact her via email:

jkelle@fortfairfield.org