CARRABASSETT VALLEY — A chilly breeze, on and off, whipped festival-goers at Sugarloaf Mountain on Saturday, but Caribbean sounds blared at the “beach” and one woman walked to the chairlift in a bikini as temperatures dipped to the mid-30s.
Santa Claus was there and so was a giant chicken. Several people sported duct-taped outfits, some bearing the triangular Sugarloaf logo.
Amos, the character moose and resort mascot, was there — with dreadlocks, of course — to pose for photos with fans.
“Great people; great attitudes,” Leftari Minas of Portland said. He was there with his friends and his Jack Russell terrier, Mac, who wowed the crowd with tricks as he jumped for a stick. Minas said attending the festival was an annual event for him.
“Once you go, you go back every year,” he said.
David Young, dressed as Santa Claus and his friend, Chris Cline, dressed as a giant chicken, said they come to the festival every year, but this was the first year they had worn costumes.
The “Best Hat” club was there from Portland, including Cindy Collette, Emily and Jen DuPort and Vickie Bergerson of Barrington, R.I. The group had on everything from a Christmas Tree hat to a Viking helmet.
Carrabassett Valley Police Chief Scott Nichols said at about 4 p.m. that there had been few problems.
Nichols and an officer with him said the cool temperatures were helping to keep crowds down, but they had seen worse weather on reggae weekend.
In years past, as many as 10,000 people have attended the festival. Ethan Austin, a spokesman for Sugarolaf, said the crowd seemed larger this year, but no official numbers were available Saturday.
“People really moved inside when the chill hit,” Austin said.
The resort seemed well-occupied and shuttle buses carrying festival-goers were lined up three or four at a time, many at seating capacity. Those on board seemed to be generally in good spirits as the buses deposited them at their stops.
The festival wraps up Sunday with more free music on the beach.
The cold temperatures had some predicting and wishing for snow instead of the anticipated rain on Sunday.
Sam Brown of Casco said it was always possible in the mountains. He was going to stay the night and hope for new snow, he said.
“You never know in the mountains,” he said.
By 8 p.m., light snow was falling.
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- David Young, dressed as Santa Claus, and his friend, Chris Cline, dressed as a giant chicken, said they come to the festival every year, but this was the first year the Yarmouth men decided to wear costumes. When asked why they chose a chicken and Santa Claus, Cline said, “It’s what we had.”
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- Thousands of festival-goers packed the “beach,” the area in front of Sugarloaf Mountain’s Base Lodge for the resort’s 23rd Annual Reggae Festival on Saturday.
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