HARRISON — It was 8-year-old Caleb Kennedy’s second fishing derby, so he knew exactly how to describe a pickerel: “It’s kind of yellow, and it has a pointed head and it bites.”

Caleb, who attends Plummer Motz School in Falmouth, joined dozens of other children and their families Saturday morning at the head of Long Lake, where the town’s recreation department organized its third youth ice fishing derby.

“It’s one of the nicest things the town of Harrison does,” Jimmy Lowe, who moved to Maine with his family from North Carolina to work at Barber Foods in Portland, said. It was also the second time his son, Chandler, took part in the derby. Last year he won the top prize — a lifetime fishing license.

The derby, organized by registered Maine Guide Joe Jack, was part of the recreation department’s Winter Fest ’11, three days of outdoor activities that included cross country skiing, snowshoeing and wagon rides through the village.

Recreation Director Paula Holt organizes Winter Fest every year to get kids out of the house, away from the electronic distractions of computers, television and cell phones, and to nurture an appreciation for enjoying the good old-fashioned joys of building a snowman or cross country skiing.

Russ and Martha Merrill of Harrison are great admirers of the town’s recreation director.

“Paula does absolutely the most fantastic job for this town,” Martha Merrill said. The couple brought their almost-3-year-old grandson Wes Merrill for a ride on a horse-drawn wagon.

After helping Allie Sahlberg, 7, of Harrison, put on a pair of cross country skis for the first time, Holt took a break to enjoy some homemade chili from the food shack, staffed by a group of loyal volunteers.

“My mother made those peanut butter cookies,” food shack volunteer Faith Paglierani of Harrison, 15, said. Paglierani, a student at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, said she enjoys “volunteering randomly” for Holt.

Another volunteer, Ron Debie of Harrison, was offering free snowmobile rides — both just for fun and to offer those trying to walk through knee-deep snow a quicker way to get from the parking lot to the recreation area.

Friday’s storm dumped another foot of snow on the area, resulting in perfect conditions for cross country skiing, but calling off this year’s ice skating.

Colleen and Jeff Winslow created a perfect Currier & Ives scene by offering horse-drawn wagon rides between Crystal Lake Park and Long Lake. The Winslow’s dog, Dakota, who ordinarily is leery of strangers, drops his shyness when he hops up on the wagon.

“He thinks it’s his job,” Colleen Winslow said, as she knelt down to give her 18-month-old daughter, Ellie, some homemade beef stew from the food shack. The Winslows own Northern Heights Farm in Waterford, where sleigh rides by appointment are available seven days a week.

Winter Fest ’11 continued on Sunday, with the third day of ice fishing, snowmobile races on Crystal Lake, free sleigh rides at High View Farm and the second day of the Sportsmen’s Show at the town office.