FARMINGTON — Summer Fest held Saturday, July 22, may have been one of the best ever in terms of attendance and behavior.

“Summer Fest was one of the better attended events in a long time,” Police Chief Kenneth Charles said at the Select Board meeting Tuesday night, July 25. “It was peaceful.”

There had been some instances in the festival’s long history when that wasn’t the case, he noted.

“It was nice to see the downtown full of people,” Chair Matthew Smith stated. There was lots of good noise, he added.

Selectman Stephan Bunker said he enjoyed seeing the community turn out, having Farmington so busy.

On Saturday incoming Mt. Blue High School freshman Sylvia Stadelman of Wilton was helping at the root beer float stand run by Blue Crew FIRST Robotics Competition team 6153. This will be her first year on the team, she isn’t sure what her tasks will be.

“I love building things,” she said. Her goal is to become an aerospace engineer with MIT being her dream college.

Incoming freshman Landon Morse of Farmington said he became interested in the team after members gave a presentation while he was a student at Cascade Brook School.

Shortly before 11 a.m. those participating in the children’s parade made their way down Broadway to cheers from festival attendees.

Afterwards Debra Crocker of Farmington was seen purchasing a bright yellow Summer Fest T-shirt. This was her first visit to the event as she has only lived in Farmington a couple of years.

Many families took advantage of the painted wooden cutouts provided for photo opportunities. Cousins Rosie Rogers and Tennessee Gattis of Farmington had their picture taken in a snowy scene while Teresa Gillen and her children Grahm and McKenna chose to use the vegetable themed one. The family from Long Island, New York, has a camp on Clearwater Lake in Industry.

Ashley Akers of Chesterville pulled the family pug, Gismo, in a wagon while sister Allison walked nearby. The dog is a diabetic dog for another family member, their mom said.

Saturday in the food court set up in the municipal parking lot off Church Street, Bunker said Roderick-Crosby American Legion Post 28 was holding a chicken barbecue fundraiser to see how it went. The Fire Department had done the barbecue for years, decided not to do it, he noted.

“The American Legion is trying it, giving it another shot,” Bunker said. “So far it looks real good. It helps to have that smoky aroma going down the sidewalk.”

The legion is brainstorming about holding a chicken barbecue during Farmington Fair, Bunker noted. “A non-profit does it daily at Windsor Fair,” he said. “It would be something different than doughboys.”

In Meetinghouse Park, children were given 10 tickets to use at various games.

Ava Bowman from Houston, Texas, was at Summer Fest with Wilton relatives. After several unsuccessful attempts, she snagged a plastic duck with a fishing pole to earn a prize. Kalli Pierson of Farmington chose to try her luck at finding a hole at the miniature golf game.

Entertainment was also provided. Local groups performed on Broadway and at the food court throughout the day. Lee Nangeroni, LaLoopna Hoops was seen walking on stilts on Broadway, often striking fun poses for those taking photos.

The Amazing Summer Fest Race returned this year, another popular event. “We had 25 teams [50 people] participate this year,” Farmington Underground’s Joe Musumeci, who organized the race, said. “There were many kids and mixed teams of adults and kids, as well as couples, friends, and families. The average completion time was 62 minutes.”

The Orange Cat Cafe was one of the race stops this year. Teams had to recreate a cat cupcake which they later got to eat.

The team of Joshua and Gabe finished with the fastest time, 45:47 minutes. Their time included 5:47 spent completing the two bonus activities. Team Brynne and Bode was second while Jody and Susan took third. Michelle and Abby were awarded best team spirit while best costumes went to Megan and Elise. Last names were not required at registration.

Another fun happening was found at the Octagon House where members of the Farmington Historical Society gave tours. On the lawn, Jeff Wright answered questions and showed off features of his 1930 Ford Model A.

The gas tank holds 10 gallons of fuel, he told Rosemary Cyr of Industry. There is no fuel pump as it uses a gravity feed system, he noted. Cyr enjoyed examining the car and shared memories of a ride her parents once took in a similar vehicle.

“As a selectman, it’s great to see so many in the downtown,” Bunker said. “All the parking lots are filled. Farmington Farmers Union is doing great.”