FARMINGTON — The Farmington Strawberry Festival begins Friday with Art in the Park, a juried showing of local artists’ work, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Meetinghouse Park.

The festival, sponsored by the Farmington Downtown Association, will offer activities on Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday in the downtown area.

Art in the Park will be held Friday, rain or shine, said organizer Mike Mansir. More than 20 artists have registered to participate.

One special activity this year involves a dunk tank that provides pitchers with a good arm a chance to dunk some well-known Farmington personalities, said Nichole Dustin, chairwoman of the association’s Promotion Committee.

The tank, located in the alley between Reny’s and the Homestead Bakery, will begin dunking at 10 a.m. with Police Chief Richard Caton III on the hot seat for an hour. He will be followed by Megan Roberts from the Ski Museum at 11 a.m., Town Manager Richard Davis at noon, Tax Assessor Mark Caldwell at 1 p.m., lawyer Paul Mills at 2 p.m. and owner of Foothills Management Bill Marceau at 3 p.m., Dustin said. Tickets are $2 for three chances to dunk.

Several activities formerly featured as part of the association’s Moonlight Madness celebration will return Friday, along with Art in the Park.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will sell its lobster-roll bag lunch at the park gazebo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year, the church plans to also sell on Saturday in the festival’s food court, Dustin said.

The aroma of barbecued chicken will waft through the downtown Friday as members of Farmington Fire and Rescue prepare their chicken meals in the courthouse parking lot on Main Street. The barbecue will go on, rain or shine, with meals ready by 4 p.m., Fire Chief Terry Bell said.

Registrations for the annual road races begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday in front of City Lights on Broadway. The children’s 1-mile race will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the adult 5K at 6:15 p.m.

Broadway and Church streets will be closed Saturday, rain or shine, for activities including crafters, food vendors, pony rides and wagon rides, Dustin said. Maine-made products including wood-turning crafts and arrangements by Robin’s Flower Pot will be featured, along with others.

Strolling magicians and local musical entertainment is planned; the Rotary Club’s antique car show takes place on Church Street, she said. A disc jockey will spin tunes from noon to 4 p.m.

A tent with tables and chairs will take center stage on Broadway with food vendors providing lobster rolls and strawberry shortcake prepared by the Fairbanks School Neighborhood Association, and hot dogs and beverages sold by Trinity United Methodist Church.

Local businesses, which will sponsor individual sales during the festival, have donated a variety of items to fill three baskets for a raffle held by the association. Items include an amethyst geode, candelabra, gift certificates, a drum, a wooden stool and a giant stuffed duck. The $2 tickets are available at Trask Jewelers, Mainestone Jewelry, Calico Patch and Mickey’s Hallmark. A sample basket is on display at Mainestone Jewelry, Dustin said.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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