FARMINGTON — Those wondering what the red hearts seen in several downtown business windows may be pleased to know they are in memory of the Valentine’s Day Bandit, but some questions remain unanswered.
A red heart is seen Saturday afternoon, Aug. 12, in a window of Devaney, Doak and Garrett Booksellers on Broadway in Farmington. The hearts, seen in many downtown business storefronts are in honor of Kevin Fahrman of Falmouth. Revealed as the Valentine’s Day Bandit in Portland after his death in April, his birthday was July 20. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
Late last week the Livermore Falls Advertiser was asked if it knew what the hearts were for and the search for answers was on. Saturday, Aug. 12, store windows on both Main Street and Broadway displayed the red hearts seen on a solid white background. There was no printing to explain their purpose.
Nicholas Cole at Devaney, Doak and Garrett Booksellers on Broadway thought they were created by a local artist, who posted them around the area in memory of another artist who had died.
Piper Redman, an employee at The Sensi Side on Broadway said they were a memorial for the Valentine’s Day Bandit from Portland.
Mistic Bumgardner, an employee at Farmington Farmhouse Gifts and Decor on Main Street noted the hearts were in remembrance or honor of the bandit, on his birthday.
Susun Terese, owner of Minikins on Broadway knew the hearts were for the bandit. She knew the person who distributed the hearts was Cerise but couldn’t remember her last name, just that she used to live with Emily Hartung.
Hartung was one of the founding owners of Calico Patch, a popular store for decades on Broadway. She closed the business at the end of 2019 and passed away last September.
“I don’t know how long we are supposed to leave them up,” Terese said.
“They were put up about a month ago, right before Summer Fest,” Andy Shattuck, of Wilton and a Summer Fest organizer, said. “They are everywhere.”
A later search on the Sun Journal website provided more information about the Valentine’s Day Bandit. Kevin Fahrman of Falmouth secretly brought an extra level of cheer and kindness to Portland each Valentine’s Day for decades, according to the article.
“Each Feb. 14, Portland residents would wake to find hearts posted on landmarks, buildings, storefront windows, walls, sidewalks and benches, some of them seemingly almost impossible to get to,” the article noted.
Fahrman passed away in April, when his wife, Patti Urban revealed his identity as the Valentine’s Day Bandit.
On July 20, what would have been his 68th birthday, the man who coordinated efforts to post bright red hearts all over Portland was given a floating tribute adorned with his symbol of goodwill, urging everyone to ‘be a Kevin,’ the article stated. Dozens of spectators gathered at three locations overlooking Portland Harbor to watch a floating tribute to Fahrman, it continued.
In Farmington’s tribute to Fahrman, a red heart was also displayed in a vacant store front on Broadway.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
