AUBURN – Schooner Estates Retirement Community made culinary history by capturing all four top awards at Portland’s 11th annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge three months ago.

On Saturday, May 1, Lewiston-Auburn residents will have their chance to sample some of the Schooner cuisine that had judges saying “phenomenal,” while members of the public lined up for second and third helpings. And not only will folks get their palates pleased on this occasion, local youth will have their cultural education enriched as a result.

The Spring Cheer and Chowder Revels, as the event is being called, lives up to its name by serving up some festive seasonal entertainment along with Schooner’s champion chowder and fixings.

In the spirit of community volunteerism, Bates student folk musicians and singers will be joined by area youngsters in a mini-concert of “jigs and reels” music and choral selections.

In addition, weather permitting, other local children will commemorate May Day with some traditional English May pole dancing out in Schooner’s terraced courtyard.

“As soon as word got out that we had won the big chili and chowder cook-off in Portland, people back here in the Twin Cities were asking when they were going to have a chance to try our award-winning recipes,” said Mike Morton, Schooner’s food service director.

Schooner’s owners and management often invite the public in to see the facility and sample its food, but they saw an opportunity in this instance to do more. “We felt that since the Portland event is a fund-raiser for the foster grandparents program,” said Frank Proulx, Schooner’s director of marketing, “we’d like to host an event which would benefit a similarly worthy cause in our own community.”

The solution came when a local chapter of the Association Canado-Amricaine, a nonprofit cultural organization, approached Schooner Estates about providing a space for the organization’s annual Join Hands Day event on May 1.

Join Hands Day is a national day of volunteering, which focuses on bringing youth and adults together through community partnerships, according to ACA Chapter 52 President Gerry Legare.

“We were thrilled when Schooner offered to not only host the activity,” he said, “but to also donate the time and talent of their cooking staff, plus all of the food, so that 100 percent of the proceeds from the ticket sales can go directly into our new youth enrichment fund.”

ACA Chapter 52 is dedicated to supporting activities that serve to teach youngsters about their own cultural heritage as well as that of the world around them. The folk music and dancing, which will be presented as part of the Spring Revels event, is an example of this, Legare said.

Though the final entertainment details are still being confirmed, Schooner Estates is accepting reservations for the May 1 extravaganza.

For $5, attendees will receive a cup of Schooner Estates’ Seafood Platter Chowder, which includes haddock, clams, scallops and shrimp along with potatoes, onions and celery in a creamy broth.

Complementing that will be a couple of miniature corn muffins studded with diced green chilies, roasted red peppers and sweet corn kernels (the muffins proved equally as popular as the chowder at the Portland competition, said Morton). And to round things off, diners will be served a sweet treat from Schooner’s bake shop and coffee or tea.

A half-hour program of music and dance will follow. There are two seatings planned: 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., with a possibility of a third being added if demand warrants it.

“We don’t want to turn anyone away,” said Gail Sasseville, who owns and operates Schooner Estates with her husband, Dr. Sarto Sasseville “May Day is the perfect occasion to welcome the community here to Schooner to celebrate the coming of spring, while sharing some of our great home-cooking and acknowledging the talents of our gifted local youngsters and all for a uniquely good cause.”

Those wanting to reserve a ticket should call the Schooner Estates front desk at 784-2900. Reservations will be accepted through Thursday, April 29, or until the event sells out. Schooner Estates is located at 200 Stetson Road.