LIVERMORE FALLS – Early brisk weather Saturday turned warmer as the sun came up over the Apple Pumpkin Festival.
Hundreds of people wandered around the downtown parking lot and the gazebo area where games, vendors, crafters, organizations, activities and food were set up. Across Main Street, several crafters displayed their wares, including jewelry, sewn items, flowers, stained glass, baskets and wood crafts, at Union Park.
“I think the turnout is good,” Bonnie Perkins, administrative assistant to the Jay, Livermore, Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce said as she worked a ticket table at the festival. “We were slow setting up, it was so cold,” she said. But everything worked out, she said. Next year, Perkins said, organizers plan to look for an area that would hold all the activities so that the events wouldn’t have to be spread out.
They also hope to expand the craft fair portion of the festival next year, she said.
As Perkins went back to selling tickets for a number of children’s games, Micheal Brown, 9, of Jay was tossing crab apples into carved out pumpkins nearby at the Jay-Livermore Falls Rotary Club booth.
Brown hit the mark several times and won a prize. Elizabeth Hewins, 3, of Livermore Falls didn’t fare as well, but took home a prize anyway.
Laughter came from jump activities where the children bounced up and down. An orange tiger slide towered above the lot and was constantly used.
People gathered around the gazebo to hear the music of Franklin County’s Native Oak band members Bill Colwell, Randy Gauvin and Paul Soucie. The band that has been together about 10 years played their guitars and sang an array of tunes, including “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver during midday. Another band and open jam session were scheduled to follow.
The smell of food cooking on the grills wafted through the festival, drawing people to the Livermore Falls Fire Department’s outdoor restaurant.
Lindsey Jacques, 12, and Paula Despres, 11, both of Jay, held stuffed toys in their arms as they checked out the booths.
“I thought the games were fun,” Jacques said. She won a bright green alien at ring toss and a black-and-yellow frog in the ball roll.
It was Despres’ first year at the festival, and she won prizes similar to Jacques, except a frog in blue and green. She also had a blow-up bat she won when she hit a bell with a wooden hammer.
“I look forward to coming each year,” Jacques said.
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