By Sharon Kiley Mack - Bangor Daily News - PITTSFIELD - Kevin and Sheri Davis, the husband and wife team who have nearly single-handedly run the Central Maine Egg Festival for the past five years, were ecstatic this weekend when thunderstorms bypassed the fairgrounds. "It is going wonderful," Sheri Davis said late Saturday as crowds who avoided the heat of the day began arriving at the festival in Manson Park. Yet, she said, it will be hard to walk away since the fair is doing so well. The Davises have decided this was their last fair. "In September, we will hold a meeting of the Egg Festival Committee and we will step down," Davis said. "We are not going to abandon the committee, but will hope to foster a smooth transition." Putting on a weeklong festival that entertains up to 20,000 people has worn her down. "I'm exhausted," she admitted. "But look at this," she pointed to the crowds. "Everyone is having a great time." Vendors in the craft tent, however, said that although there were plenty of visitors, people just weren't buying this year. "They just didn't seem to have the money," Cathy Hartley of Freedom said. Hartley was offering Sandy Pond Candles in the craft tent. "We had a good amount of customers, but they just weren't buying." Other vendors said the same thing, adding that sales were flat. The weather may have done a bit to slow down the pace. Uncomfortable humidity and high temperatures were wilting everyone, and windy conditions even put the halt on air balloon rides. One of the major events, however, a performance Saturday night by Motor Booty Affair of Portland, proved to be a real draw. As soon as evening approached, the park began filling up and the '70s theme was echoed in the group's music as fireworks blasted overhead. Events held earlier in the week included a quiche and cheesecake luncheon and contest, pet parade, street dance, games and activities in the park for the children and window painting on Main Street. Winners of the Queen and Princess contests were: Saturday's 1st Place parade winners were: |
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"Staying Egg-live, A Tribute to the '70s" is the official theme this year with events scheduled from July 24th to the 28th. Sheri Davis, festival vice president, said organizers want to celebrate the festival's 35th year by keeping the craft tent open longer and offering special music and hot air balloon rides. "The craft fair is bigger than ever," Davis said. The tent will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and all day Saturday. Jane Briggs of the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Commerce is looking for some entries for the quiche and cheesecake contest. Entry rules and applications are available at the Chamber office on Route 2 in Palmyra, the Pittsfield town office and Foxy Hair Designs in Newport. Entries must be at Millennium in Palmyra by 8 a.m. Friday, July 27, and judging will be held at 9 a.m. A luncheon featuring the entries will follow. "We are also getting parade applications in, and there will be four Shrine units," Davis said. To celebrate the 35th year, Motor Booty Affair, a popular oldies band, will play for an hour before and after the fireworks on Saturday night. Hot air balloon rides will be offered from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. "Everything is going very, very well," Davis said. "Last year went so well that for the first time in a long time we can say that we are in good financial shape before the festival." A full schedule of events will be found in the Egg Festival booklets, available in local stores soon, but some of the activities are:
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| The World's Largest Frying Pan weighs 300 pounds and has a five-foot diameter. It was created by Alcoa Aluminum and Teflon coated by DuPont in New Jersey. The cookware arrived in Pittsfield for the Egg Festival by truck in special packing frame on August 10th, 1973. The frying pan features its own special burner designed by Mainegas of Pittsfield, also in 1973, and is currently serviced by Mid State Gas. The World's Largest Frying Pan is stored locally each year after the Central Maine Egg Festival, in its original packing frame. Each year the Early Bird Breakfast is served on Saturday, from 6 to 8 AM, rain or shine. The menu features eggs, ham, toast, beans, juice, milk and coffee. Kiwanis Karnival The Kiwanis Karnival started many, many years prior to the Egg Festival. The kiddie parade on Thursday night starts the Kiwanis Karnival and the fireworks, which are sponsored by the Greater Pittsfield Area Kiwanis, ends the event on Saturday night. The Greater Pittsfield Area Kiwanis raises the majority of its funds from all of the activities that they sponsor. They host all the rides; games; kiddie games; hot dog, onion rings and French fry booths. The beano, raffle, kiddie parade and bouncing ball tent are all part of the Kiwanis Karnival. All the funds that are raised by the Kiwanis at these activities are put back into the surrounding communities through scholarships, food banks, donations to other local organizations and Terrific Kids programs to name a few. The Greater Pittsfield Area Kiwanis also sponsors the Nokomis Key Club and the M.C.I. Key Club. For more information on the Greater Pittsfield Area Kiwanis please call Crystal at 487-3719 or e-mail ericcrystalw@msn.com. |