Wilton Blueberry Festival a weekend hit

WILTON — Once again, the 32nd annual Wilton Blueberry Festival was a hit as local residents gathered for a free concert, parade, fireworks and numerous activities Friday and Saturday.

“It was phenomenal,” organizer Shannon Smith said Monday.

But, as usual, she’s not sitting back and resting.

Next year’s theme is already chosen, she said. It is Reading and Writing. Authors will present their books at the 2015 Blueberry Festival. Smith had just signed on her sixth Maine author Monday.

It’s difficult to estimate the number of people who attended this year. Smith gave out 4,000 toothbrushes to people who toured the Medical Inflatables display, she said. Some didn’t take a toothbrush, so she estimates more than 4,000 attended.

Of all the inflatable organ showings around the country, this was the first time all four were shown together, she said.

“They were all shown right here in little Wilton, Maine,” Smith said.

Smith arranged for the Medical Inflatables from Houston, Texas, to be on display in Kineowatha Park over the festival.

“It was a highlight just to hear how people were talking about the medical inflatable display all weekend,” she said.

The Saturday morning parade had about 95 entries, not counting the firetrucks, she said.

The fireworks were reported as especially spectacular this year, and the Friday night free concert featuring Re-Creation was well attended, Smith said. Those attending the group’s concert in Augusta this weekend paid $20 for a ticket, but it was free here, she added.

There were a couple small fights and a drunken driver for the police to deal with, but everything went very well, police Chief Heidi Wilcox said.

Smith spent Sunday making 76 phone calls to winners of various competitions held over the weekend and picking up signs.

Two of the specially made road signs for the festival disappeared even though they start collecting them right after the fireworks, she said.

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