When I was a young child and the carnival was coming to town, the anticipation was almost as exciting as the entertainment itself. I saved as much of my allowance as I could for weeks. All I could think of was the carnival. I still remember the feeling – like wanting to leap ahead in time to opening day, the eagerness actually taking my appetite away.

The day finally arrived. I had money in my pocket. My friends were as enthusiastic as I was. Our ride to and from the fairgrounds had been arranged. And someone’s parents would be there to keep an eye on us as we became completely immersed in the reality of carnival fantasy.

Life was good!

My mature mind can still bring back those surprisingly vivid memories. Nothing could have been better than winning a prize at the game booths, sweet, sticky cotton candy melting in my mouth, that queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach on the rides, the bright lights, the myriad of vibrant colors, and the atmosphere – an energy level high enough to make you feel like you’re spinning while walking three feet off the ground. Those were the days.

Now put yourselves in the small-sized shoes of the children who are growing up in the Lewiston-Auburn area today. Think of the memories they’ll bring into adulthood. By the time they reach 50, it’ll be mind-blowing memory overload, complete with sights, sounds, tastes, feelings that will bring a whimsical smile to their faces when they least expect it.

No sooner are today’s children recovered from Christmas than they’re getting ready for Auburn’s annual Winter Festival. This three-day, family-oriented event has to be the most fun in the snow that anyone, young or old, can have. Imagine the impression the torchlight parade of a real sleigh ride or a dog sled ride has on a 10-year-old growing up in today’s technological world. There’s also the excitement of the sled obstacle course, snowshoe races, musical chairs on snow, and an evening bonfire. What could be better than snuggling up to your mom or dad on a hayride in the freezing cold? Then watching the Really Ridiculous Relay Race and thinking all the while, “Hey, even when I’m grown up I’ll still be able to play like a kid – cool!”

After meandering their way through Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and Memorial Day, the anticipation starts building once again. Summer is almost here and the festivals will soon begin. No longer is it one or two carnival visits during the course of the summer, it’s now festival after festival, one whirlwind of excitement after the other, filling their warm weather days with fun and thrills and oohs and ahs, each leaving behind snippets of wonder and awe that will stay with them forever.

Early July brings the Liberty Festival. We know what the best part of that is: the fireworks over the falls. What could be more awesome than sitting with their heads tilted way back watching each burst of light and the trailers dropping from the sky onto the rocks and water of those historic falls that physically bind our Twin Cities.

Just a few days later, maybe they’ll go “down the road a piece” and take a taste of that bitter sweet stuff that their grandparents used to like at the Moxie Festival in Lisbon. At that age it can only produce a resounding “yuck!” but the parade and the celebration is all about fun.

Barely two weeks later comes the Prelude to the Festival de Joie immediately followed by the Festival de Joie. It’s all about dancing in the streets and eating food like their great-grandparents ate and listening to songs sung in that all too familiar language that they can’t understand. And it’s all about their history.

The history lessons are merely laying the foundation for their future curiosity. One day, they’ll remember those old pictures and books and stories and want to know more about their roots. It’s all about memories.

July is gone, but it’s not over yet. Now they’re anticipating the Great Falls Balloon Festival in August. Children like balloons. There are balloons and there are balloons!

Watching the balloons being inflated, sneaking a peak inside the multi-colored fabric as it grows outward, sucking in their breath as it starts to rise above the crowd, feeling a chill run down their spines but still wanting to be inside that basket floating over the steeples and cupolas of their own hometown. Craning their necks reaching as high on their tiptoes as they can, they cringe as a balloon briefly touches water on the mighty Androscoggin River and creeps upward toward the clouds one more time.

There are thousands of people there, lots of them children, but the crowd is so taken with the sight they’re hushed enough to hear the whoosh of each measure of hot air rushing into the balloon. It’s heaven . Well, almost.

In September, we have the Greek Festival. What a wonderful opportunity our children have to learn about a unique culture filled through and through with family ties, delicious food and pastries, and camaraderie to be admired. There’s nothing like your first bite into homemade baklava. Now that’s a memory!

Peppered throughout are community concerts and performances in our parks and plazas and lakeside on the campus at Bates College. There’s a pet festival and an canoe trek on our river and fishing contests on our lakes.

Lewiston-Auburn offers its children so many wonderful memories each year.

Now, we’re adding another fantastic festival to celebrate L-A, giving our children more opportunities to create wonderful memories to carry them into adulthood.

The Source Guitar and Arts Festival is coming to L-A June 26. Our children will be able to sneak peeks at the quality works of Maine artists in between sitting cross-legged, chins resting on the palms of their hands, absorbed in the music coming from the plazas and parks along the banks of the Androscoggin River – music being played in celebration of their hometown’s guitar and music legacy.

It was wonderful growing up so many years ago and being able to bring all those memories along on the road to adulthood. But imagine how wonderful it is growing up in Lewiston-Auburn today. The anticipation never ends – the memories, oh, how I envy those memories!

Jan Barrett is the owner of the Ware Street Inn Bed & Breakfast in Lewiston.

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