LEWISTON – Great music and great weather added up to a successful debut for L-A’s newest summer festival on Sunday.

The Source Guitar and Arts Festival played to audiences of comfortable sizes at three downtown parks. Music lovers of all ages enjoyed performances by musicians who represented facets of Lewiston’s unusually rich guitar heritage. Also, about 50 artists and crafts people displayed and sold their works along a boulevard of covered booths at Railroad Park in Lewiston.

Organizers from L/A Arts and WCSH6 said the reception to the first year of the festival was everything they had wanted.

A one-day rain postponement may have cut attendance somewhat, but Charleen Belanger, WCSH6 community relations director, said, “I don’t think there were any problems that we haven’t encountered over the years.”

She noted that the two organizing groups have presented many events, including WCSH6’s Maine State Parade each year in Lewiston. The new festival replaced the parade this year.

“We kind of anticipated most of the things that might occur, and I can honestly say that there really were no problems,” Belanger said.

She also said she believes the Saturday-to-Sunday postponement caused no significant monetary penalty for the festival. It was a free event, and just about the only additional expense was an extra day’s pay for a few people.

“We have had nothing but great feedback,” Belanger said.

L/A Arts director Richard Willing said, “I think this was one of the most glorious days that has happened in these communities. There was some incredible music and incredible art, but much more than that.”

He pointed out that many visitors, and even local residents, saw a remarkably friendly and positive gathering of people. From the Riverwalk in Auburn and the Grand Trunk Railroad trestle walk they saw the beauty that the Androscoggin River can offer, Willing said.

“Exceptional” was the rating given to the show by Theresa Moore of New Gloucester. She brought her father, Harold Mailloux of Westbrook, and they spent most of the day at Auburn’s Festival Plaza.

Mailloux said he plays guitar and violin by ear, but he put the instruments away some time ago.

“I said, Gee, I got to get the guitar back out. I got to get the violin back out,'” Mailloux exclaimed as he and his daughter packed up their folding chairs at the end of the day.

“When you come to something like this, it’s inspiring,” she said. She also had made a purchase from the art village during the day.

Mailloux has some mobility limitations, and his daughter said she was delighted to find easy parking at the municipal garage across Main Street from Festival Plaza.

In the art festival judging, Anastasia Gatto of Auburn, formerly of New Gloucester, took first place and the Best of Show ribbon, plus a $1,000 prize.

The second place winner was Mark Fink of Bass Harbor. He won $600.

Third place and a $400 award went to Robin Shott of Pemaquid Pottery, Bremen.

Gatto said, “I would come back next year. It’s a new thing and, all in all, I think it was a good show.”

Guitar fans had an especially memorable day as they shuttled between the three performance stages to hear their favorites. Johnny Hiland, a newcomer on the national country music scene, thrilled audiences in his two sets at Railroad Park.

Denny Breau, brother of the late jazz guitar legend Lenny Breau of Lewiston, played at Festival Plaza, as did famed bluegrass mandolinist Roland White, brother of Clarence White, another guitar great with Lewiston roots, who died early at the height of his talents.

Other performers included Dave Rowe, Martin Gibson, Sean McGowan, Libby Kirkpatrick, Charlton Phaneuf with Buck Curran, the Sean Mencher Combo, and the Mark Miller Blues Band.

Steve Baughman was among the performers at Auburn’s Bonney Park, and he also presented a workshop on Orkney tuning of guitars, an alternative tuning that has a melodic characteristic suited to Celtic, folk and blues playing.