HOULTON, Maine — There may not have been any Midnight Madness event in downtown Houlton this year, but there was still a good reason to celebrate in Market Square.
Homemade strawberry shortcakes were sold Thursday, July 2, as a fundraiser for the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
On Thursday, the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce held its annual Strawberry Shortcake Sale, which serves as a fundraiser for the Chamber. The sale normally would mark the start of the Midnight Madness celebration, but that event was canceled this year due to COVID-19 concerns.
Other communities in Aroostook County either canceled or postponed their strawberry shortcake events this summer, but Torres said she felt it was important to hold Houlton’s event.
“It’s really nice to be able to do something for people,” Chamber Executive Director Jane Torres said. “We have all been doing the same old, staying at home thing. So it’s great to be downtown doing something.”
Using local food items whenever possible, the strawberry shortcakes also feature a homemade whipped cream of Torres’ recipe that includes a hint of vanilla for an extra touch.
While many of the shortcakes were sold in advance, with the desserts delivered to local businesses, Torres noted there were a number of walk-up sales this year. She estimated the sale would yield about 250 shortcake sales, which was down a little bit from previous years.
