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OakFest rated among the “Top 10 Festivals to Come To in Maine” this summer

June 3, 2019

Press release contacts:
Kathy Paradis, Oakfest Committee Chair: 207.465.7357, kparadis@oaklandmaine.us
Monica Charette, ShineOnCass Foundation: 207.314.6996, shineoncass@gmail.com

OAKLAND, ME (6/3/2019) – Come experience a weekend of family fun July 26, 27, and 28 and see why Oakfest is rated among the “Top 10 Festivals to Come To in Maine” this summer!

Three days of family entertainment begins Friday evening with Oakfest’s first “Movies at the Waterfront” presented by Kingdom Life Church starting at 8 p.m. at the Oakland Boat Landing, 22 Old Belgrade Ave., Oakland.  Bring your chairs and blankets and watch free movies under the stars with the community.

Saturday festivities start at 10 a.m. behind Williams Elementary School at 55 Pleasant Street in Oakland, with an expansive, 75-booth ShineOn Oakland Open Air Market. The day-long event features Maine-made artisans and crafters, an extensive variety of food vendors, dozens of fun children’s activities, including bounce houses, slides, carnival games and ShineOnCass kindness projects. There will be a petting zoo, “classic cruise” car show and educational programs. Enjoy live music all day, including performances by Camp Manitou, Big E and The Hopefuls and Working Class Band, and an encore performance of Messalonskee High School’s student talent revue “Ripple Dipple” at 5 p.m.  Plus much more—there’s something for everyone! Stay for dinner and enjoy the tastes of Maine food vendors all evening while you listen to music (and dance!) with RJ the DJ at the Oakfest Street Dance from 6 to 9 p.m.

We rise and SHINE on Sunday with a Kids Fun Run at 8 a.m., followed by the 5th Annual Oakfest Paddle, Pedal & Pound Triathlon at the Oakland Boat Landing, 22 Old Belgrade Ave. This popular event for all levels of athletes begins with a 2.5-mile kayak or canoe paddle on beautiful Messalonskee Lake, transitioning to a 12-mile bike ride along Messalonskee Stream, where you’ll take in all the sights of rural Maine. The final leg is a 3.1-mile run through our treasured town, looping through wooded trails and finishing back at the boat landing. A great way to visit amazing Oakland, Maine! Competitors can enter individually, or as a three-person team. Registration is $55 for individuals and $120 per team. An awards ceremony will follow after the race. Kids Fun Run is free. Spectators are welcome to attend to cheer on all participants! To register for the Kids Fun Run and Triathlon, visit “Events” at oakfestmaine.com.

Oakfest will shine a light on children facing food insecurity by supporting local school food pantries. Oakfest is pleased to partner again with the ShineOnCass Foundation to collect school snack donations as part of the Foundation’s “ShineOnCass Snack Project.” Attendees are asked to bring individually-packaged, non-perishable snack donations to help FILL a school bus and stock the shelves this fall for students in need at  Oakland schools. Donations will be gratefully accepted all weekend at Oakfest. For more information about the project, visit shineoncass.org.

“Oakfest gets better every year with new activities, great food, music and family-friendly events that bring people together to enjoy summer in Maine,” says Oakfest Committee Chair Kathy Paradis, who along with a committee of organizers, coordinates the three-day event.

To register a booth, secure food vendor space, volunteer at ShineOn Oakland Day, or for more information about Oakfest 2019, call Kathy Paradis at 207-465-7358 or visit oakfestmaine.com.

About ShineOn Cass Foundation

Oakfest is pleased to partner again with the ShineOnCass Foundation to present the festivities of ShineOn Oakland Day. The ShineOnCass Foundation was created to honor the life of Oakland teen, Cassidy Charette, whose kindness and passion for the Oakland community Shines On!

For more information about the ShineOnCass Foundation, visit shineoncass.org.

Last modified: June 4, 2019

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