Farmington’s Summer Fest Saturday features family fun from start to finish

FARMINGTON – This year’s annual Summer Fest on Saturday is jammed-packed with activities, music, art, and good deals for the whole family. Organizers say they put a particular focus on locally produced products and a wide array of children’s activities.

The festival starts at 10 a.m. and continues on through to an evening concert at the North Church. It all takes place within a few blocks in the heart of downtown.

Each summer, for many summers, the Farmington Downtown Association has played host to this event that combines entertainment and activities with special store discounts. A new feature this year is the Renaissance Fair taking place in Meetinghouse Park on Main Street, beginning at noon.

“There will be lots of kids’ activities,” said organizer Matthew Potvin. A Ye Olde Doll Carriage and Wagon parade at 12:15 p.m., will be followed by a medieval carnival at 12:30 p.m. and medieval games at 4 p.m. “Adults can play, too,” he added with a chuckle. That is, if you can breach the castle walls with your battering rams and catapults.

Broadway will be closed to traffic to make way for street vendors that include a farmers’ market, artisans and food. There will be two venues downtown where music will be performed continuously throughout the day.

From 1 to 5 p.m., a few blocks south on Main Street, live musical entertainment will be served up with yummy sweet things at the annual Pie On The Porch. The event is hosted by the Old South First Congregational Church and held next door at the Holman Parish House located at 227 Main Street.

The Historical Society is joining in on the fun by sponsoring historical walking tours that begin at 2 and at 3:30 p.m from Titcomb House on Academy Street. The Western Maine Storytellers will be doing what they do best: telling children’s and family stories at the Octagon House, corner of Perham and High streets, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Upcountry Arts center is getting in the artistic act, too, with children’s painting from 10 to 12:30 p.m. and art for adults from 1 to 3 p.m.

Businesses and organizations are holding activities that range from a sand box treasure hunt at the United Way offices on Broadway, to the Western Maine Play Museum folks providing a free paint-all-you-want wall all day.

Anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., you can mosey on over to Twice-Sold Tales and meet retired game warden Randall Probert, author of the popular, The Three Day Club, then stroll on over to Broadway and see the Fairy Houses at The Calico Patch store on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At 3 p.m., put on your thinking cap and cross Broadway to play Guess the Passage Literature Contest at Devaney, Doak and Garrett Booksellers.

Mooseville on Main Street is hosting a recycled art contest. The two- and three-dimensional artworks submitted need to be made almost completely from reused or recycled materials. And, of course, bonus points will be awarded whenever a moose is incorporated somewhere in the design.

“We are looking for some artistic moose, bears, skunks, raccoons and other animals that are artistically inclined for our recycled art contest,” said organizer Alana Knapp. The competition will be split into three categories: youth, teen, and adult and both individual and group submissions will be accepted. Projects should be less than six feet tall, weigh less than 40 pounds and be able to withstand outdoor elements.

The art work submitted will be displayed along the sidewalk in front of the Mooseville store on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entries should be set up at Mooseville between 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday with voting beginning at 10 a.m. Votes, one per person, may be cast in ballot box inside Mooseville throughout the day. Prizes include $50 cash first place and gift certificates for subsequent 2nd and 3rd place. For more details, call 446-6441 or stop by the store.

For those who hearty souls , there’s the annual Spandits road races. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m. in front of City Lights on Broadway with the kids’ 1 miler at 5:30 and the 5K race at 6:15 p.m. Potvin also recommends the dance contest in Meetinghouse Park beginning at 5:30 p.m.

“It’s sort of a dance off in the park,” he said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

Topping all this off is a Skye Theatre concert featuring New England folk trio, Annalivia 7 p.m. at the North Church on High Street. Read more about Annalivia here. Potvin wanted to give a special shout out to the event’s major sponsor, Franklin Savings Bank and all those who have worked towards making the event possible.