WILTON — The 35th Annual Wilton Blueberry Festival held most of its scheduled activities on Saturday, but postponed fireworks until 8:45 p.m. Sunday due to the weather.
After the parade Saturday, visitors greeted Mary Poppins, Batman, Spiderman and Disney princesses near the Lions tent. Others stopped by the Wilton Free Public Library lawn to get their faces painted, create large bubbles or enjoy other activities.
The Cundick family of Farmington walked with sister missionaries from The Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the parade. Michaela and Daniela Cundick were princesses.
“We’ve come to the festival a few times. It’s fun,” Denisa Cundick said.
At Kineowatha Park, tractors could be heard as the Antique Tractor Pull got underway. A short distance away, proud parents registered children in the baby and toddler races.
This year there were so few entries that one division, walkers under 12 months of age, was canceled. There were only three contestants each in the crawler and toddler divisions.
The crawlers didn’t seem to know what to do when they were placed at the starting line. Parents, siblings and grandparents called, shook rattles or waved bottles as they tried to get the youths, all less than a year old, to crawl to the end of the enclosure.
Almost eight minutes were needed for 7-month-old Madeline Brittelli of Farmington to be declared the winner. It appeared 9-month-old Samuel Webster of Dixfield might be next, but once he reached the first wooden post he didn’t go any further. Niomi Smith, 9 months, stopped for a time at a post on the other side of the track but eventually continued on to capture second place.
A winner was declared much faster in the toddler race. Marlee Slater of Wilton strode out, followed closely by Alden Gaudet of Dixfield. The two 15-month-olds made the race exciting when Alden put on a burst of speed at the end, but it wasn’t enough to overtake Marlee. Emilie Grant of Livermore, 13 months, sat down at the start and never got in the race.
Meanwhile, the Kendall Burdin Fireman’s Muster on Main Street was underway. The event tests the ability of team members to quickly and accurately complete tasks required when on the job.
It’s understood that team members and some spectators will get wet, but nobody seemed to mind.
The team from East Dixfield took first in the dry hose and first mystery events, second in the wet hose and second mystery events and was the overall winner of the muster.
The Wilton team earned first in the second mystery event, second in the first mystery and third in the dry and wet hose events.
Members of the Livermore Falls Fire Department won the wet hose event, took second in the dry hose event and were third in both mystery events. They received the sportsmanship trophy.
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Several children’s activities were set up on the Wilton Free Public Library lawn Saturday during the 35th Annual Wilton Blueberry Festival. Daniela Cundick ducks to avoid a large bubble created by Michaela Cundick. The two girls are from Farmington.
The Baby and Toddler Derby race found the youngest racers unsure of what they were supposed to do. It took almost eight minutes for the first crawler to reach the finish line. Shown are 7-month-old Madeline Brettelli of Farmington in front and 9-month-old Niomi Smith of East Dixfield. Madeline won the race. Not shown is 9-month-old Samuel Webster of Dixfield, who took third place.
In the Baby and Toddler Derby race Saturday afternoon at Kineowatha Park, Marlee Slater of Wilton takes an early lead, but a strong close by Alden Gaudet of Dixfield made the race between the 15-month-olds much closer. In the background is 13-month-old Emilie Grant of Livermore.
The Kendall Burdin Fireman’s Muster was held Saturday afternoon during the 35th Annual Wilton Blueberry Festival. In the first mystery event, a member of the Livermore Falls Fire Department motions to her teammates to lower the nozzle so more water will flow through a hole and fill a barrel on the other side.
The Kendall Burdin Fireman’s Muster on Saturday afternoon during the Wilton Blueberry Festival is a way for firefighters to practice necessary skills. Two mystery events aren’t announced until the muster. Seen in the first event is a ping-pong ball close to falling over the edge of a PVC pipe. Once the ball drops, the timer is stopped. The team with the fastest time wins.
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