HOULTON, Maine — The calendar may have just turned to June, but organizers of Houlton’s Agricultural Fair are already gearing up for what they hope will be a record turnout July 4-8.
Admission to the fair remains unchanged for the fifth straight year. The cost is $10 per person to enter the fairgrounds and includes all rides and entertainment on site. Smokey’s Greater Shows returns to provide the midway entertainment.
“This year marks our 25th year as a licensed state of Maine fair,” explained Paul Cleary, president of the Fair Association. “To commemorate this event, we have something special planned for this year’s fair.”
On Friday, July 6, admission to the fair will have a special rate of $25 for any vehicle with up to 10 individuals in it. An additional $1 will be charged for parking. Children under the age of 2 are free.
“If you can fit 10 people in a car, all of you can come into the fair for $25 that day,” Cleary said. “It becomes a good deal if you have three or more people in the car.”
The special promotion runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After that time, the traditional rate of $10 per person applies. Those that choose not to take advantage of the special rate and walk into the park, or those vehicles with two people or less, will be charged the rate of $10 per person.
Cleary said if someone wishes to simply drop off a carload of individuals, but does not want to stay, they do not have to pay the parking fee.
“Say for example a parent brings a van full of kids to the park and wants to drop them off,” Cleary said. “They can do that, pay the $25 and leave. If there are 10 people in the vehicle, it works out to just $2.50 per person.”
Kicking off the five-day fair on July 4 could prove advantageous for event organizers since it gives them an extra day of events to draw people into Houlton’s Community Park. Many of the popular events such as the demolition derby and truck pulls are back this year.
One event that is not back is the mud runs, which have been replaced with antique tractor pulls. Other new events include a local band music festival featuring some of the area’s most popular groups performing on the stage of the softball field.
Advance photo passes will be sold every Saturday through June 30 at the fairgrounds or in front of York’s Bookstore in Market Square. Passes, which are good for all five days, cost $25 without rides or $40 with rides.
“We were trying to think of something we could do to celebrate the 25th year,” Cleary said. “The thing that happens with a five-day fair is you always have one day where there may not be as many activities planned and you wonder how that day will go. The $25 admission could turn into a really big day for us.”
Volunteers are still needed to help with the event. Cleary said 95 percent of those working at the festival are volunteers. Typically, there are 75-80 individuals who offer their help. Any individual who works an eight-hour shift receives a free pass for one of the following days.
For more information on Houlton’s Agricultural Fair, visit www.houltonfair.com.