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SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
Welcome to the Kennebec Valley Skowhegan is situated in the heart of Maine’s picturesque Kennebec Valley. From Jackman in the north to Gardiner in the south, the Kennebec Valley is brimming with cozy cafes, golden summer sunsets, classic outdoor adventures, and more than enough hiking trails to wander all year long. This enchanting place offers opportunities to uncover the unexpected. Follow a luminous sunrise to the peaks of ancient mountains, or silently paddle your kayak beneath a silvery moon. Cast your fishing line into the depths of our rivers and lakes, or thrill to the rush of the longest stretch of whitewater in the East. Go off road on well-groomed ATV trails into the wild, or hike to the breaktaking Moxie Falls, Maine’s highest waterfall. Find counterpoints to our wilder, more wooded side in lively riverside towns that offer festivals, theaters, art galleries, and museums, including the renowned Colby College Museum of Art. Shop for everything from hunting and fishing supplies to art and antiques to brand-name clothing and jewelry. So explore. Experience. Exult. The beauty and adventure of the region will stimulate your imagination, exhilarate your senses, and leave you with memories that will make you smile for years to come. Learn more at KennebecValley.org.
Celebrate 200 Years of the Skowhegan Fair The Skowhegan State Fairgrounds is a unique venue that represents both Skowhegan’s history and the celebration of rural Maine life and its traditions of hunting, fishing, agriculture, and recreation. The nation’s oldest continuously running agricultural fair, the Skowhegan Fair celebrates 200 years in 2018. The fair reaches so far back into history that Skowhegan was located in Massachusetts when the first fair took place (Maine didn’t become a state until 1820). The present fairgrounds were acquired in 1856 and expanded over time as additional acreage became available. In March 1999 a fire destroyed the Grandstand and Constitution Hall buildings. Both were rebuilt in the summer of 1999, completed just in time for that year’s fair. A new horse barn was also built in 1999. In the early 2000s, The Stable (AKA The Beer Garden) was set up in Midway Hall; the Flower Building, later renamed the Donald Eames Building, was built; another horse barn and a new race paddock, named the Forrest “Bud” Stevens Memorial Paddock, were constructed; and a camping area was added. Most recently a state-of-the-art maple sugar shack was built—a fitting addition given that Skowhegan is the seat of Somerset County, the nation’s leading maple syrup producer. Learn more at SkowheganStateFair.com.
Linger in the Kennebec Valley Sure, the Skowhegan Moose Festival will be packed with entertainment, delicious food, and learning opportunities, but stay a little longer and experience the rest of the area. In downtown Skowhegan you’ll find yourself surrounded by the historic brick and granite buildings of the Flat Iron District. These impressive structures date back to the 1880s and include the Skowhegan Municipal Building—with its third-floor opera house—designed by famous architect John Calvin Stevens. The Flat Iron District is a hotspot of shops, businesses, and restaurants, including The Bankery, an artisan bakery and custom cake shop housed in a converted, circa-1864 former bank. Grab a whoopie pie or maybe the best scone you’ve ever tasted (flavors range from cranberry almond to espresso chocolate chip). You won’t leave disappointed! Adding to the town’s “food hub” reputation is the Somerset Grist Mill, a former county jail that now houses organic grain purveyor Maine Grains. Take a tour of the mill and see where local grains are processed using traditional stone-milling techniques. Sample the delicious results at the attached Miller’s Table cafe, featuring fresh farm-to-table dishes. Stroll along the bricked downtown sidewalks and the pathways weaving along the Langlais Art Trail. Named for acclaimed artist Bernard “Blackie” Langlais, the trail features 21 of his impressionistic folk-style artworks, including the iconic 62-foot Skowhegan Indian sculpture. Ready for another treat? Indulge at Gifford’s Ice Cream and test your skills at their mini-golf course. Then work off some of those sweets with a stop on the outskirts of town at Lake George Regional Park, featuring sand beaches, swimming, boating, and hiking trails on 320 acres. For a scenic walk, take Route 201A north to the Father Rasle Road for a one-mile trek on the Historic Pines Trail along the Kennebec. The area is known for its fly-fishing and its history as the former homesite of the native Wabanaki people. Be sure to visit the Father Rasle Monument to learn more about the area’s heritage. Consider a scenic drive south along Route 201 following the Kennebec. About 10 miles south of Skowhegan, check out the exhibits of Native American baskets, curiosities, and Maine wildlife at the L.C. Bates Museum. The museum offers an arboretum and trails dotted with historic markers. No summer trip to the area would be complete without taking in a show at historic Lakewood Theater in nearby Madison. From its perch on the shore of Wesserunsett Lake, Lakewood has entertained Central Maine audiences for more than 100 years. In its heyday, stars including Humphrey Bogart spent summers performing on its stage. Be sure to visit Lakewood Inn Restaurant while you’re there—see a show and have a decadent dessert waiting for you at intermission.
SKOWHEGAN STATE FAIR-ENTRY. COURTESY MAIN STREET SKOWHEGAN.
SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
Food Experiences Food vendors will be serving delicious fare including ice cream, pizza, fried chicken, fries, and more throughout the festival. Beyond the fairgrounds Skowhegan offers an array of options from mouth-watering baked goods to riverside pub food to farm-to-table delights. The festival will also feature two opportunities for food experiences you can write home about:
Wild Game & Craft Brew Pairing Constitution Hall Friday, June 8, 5-8 p.m.
The VIP event of the weekend! Chef Kate Krukowski Gooding—author of Black Fly Stew: Wild Maine Recipes (as seen on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel)—will prepare creative wild game dishes, while Borderline Express will provide fantastic live music including classic rock, modern rock and country, and originals. Tentative menu includes: • Beaver summer sausage • Venison meatloaf • Chipotle wild game lasagna • Wild game chili • White BBQ wild turkey • Gifford’s ice cream and other snacks • Local beer, wine, brandy, and spirits samples from Maine brewers—for 21+ attendees only Limited tickets available. Tickets are nonrefundable. Proceeds benefit Operation Game Thief and Skowhegan revitalization efforts. Adult tickets (21+): $30 each or $100 for four; $35 each at the door (includes unlimited food and drink samples, pairing information, and the chance to win one of several door prizes). Youth tickets (6-20 years old): $10 (includes unlimited food samples and the chance to win one of several door prizes). Kids 5 and under: free (includes unlimited food samples)
Maple Breakfast Constitution Hall Sunday, June 10, 7-10 a.m.
Menu to include: • Homemade whole-grain pancakes with Somerset County maple syrup • Local free-range pork sausage • Fresh fruit • Local coffee, tea, cider, and organic milk Tickets: $10 per adult, $5 per child
Did you know? Skowhegan is the seat of Somerset County — the largest maple syrup producer in the nation, with an astonishing 1.73 million maple taps.
MAPLE FEST-PANCAKE BREAKFAST SERVERS PHOTO BY BRANDIE BURRILL
Food Vendors at the Festival Boy Scout Troop 485 Federated Church Fonzo’s Pizza Fresh Ella’s Ice Cream Gracie’s Kabayan Philippine Foods Ken’s Restaurant Kings Concessions
Laurie’s Lunch M&M Ice Cream Silverton’s Ranch BBQ Bar Skowhegan Field Hockey Boosters Skowhegan Lions Club Skowhegan Rotary Club Stan’s Fries
Sweet Life Kettle Corn Company Tessiers Farm Titone’s Italian Ice Truckin Good Food Twisted Concessions
General Vendors at the Festival 201 Power Sports A Family for ME AAA Allagash Wildlife Sporting Camps Big Woods Bucks Bowlin Camps Lodge + Cabins Cabela’s Camp Wapiti Adventures Cousineau Wood Products Cutco Dog Not Gone Elks Drug Awareness Trailer Fiore Oils Fletcher Mountain Outfitters Franklin Savings Gene’s Electrics Herbalife Nutrition Hight Family of Dealerships Hillbilly Furniture and Furs Hunting Works for Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife John Ford Sr.—Johnny Law Kennebec Valley Tourism Council Lake George Loaded Brushes Lularoe Maine Bowhunters Association Maine Guide Snowshoe & Furniture Maine Grains Maine Leatherneck Detachment 1361 Maine Made Independence/Hunt Fish Maine Maine Professional Guides Association McNally’s Skull Cleaning Mojophotos Moose Lodge Nana’s Creations North Country Rivers
Pam’s Country Crafts Passamaquoddy Maple Pat’s Fudge and Crafts PB Guide Service Pine Cone Acres Pine Grove Program Pine Tree Council Boy Scouts of America Quinn Wood Bats Rat Designs Redington-Fairview General Hospital Reflexology by CJ and OOFOS Renewal by Andersen of Greater Maine Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Roger Lambert Run of River Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce Skowhegan Fire Department — (fire trucks on display) Skowhegan Savings Bank Skowhegan Sportsman’s Club Softub Somerset County Ducks Unlimited Sportsman Alliance of Maine Sturdivant Island Tuna Tournament Sunrise Ridge Guide Service Terri Mason, wildlife artist The Rustic Notch U.S. Border Patrol University of Maine 4-H —Camp and Learning Center W3 Adventures, LLC —Woods, Water, & Wildlife Whittemore and Sons Wilton Fish & Game Association Women of the Maine Outdoors Young Living Essential Oils
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SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
Skowhegan Moose Festival Schedule of Activities All activities are free unless denoted with a $ symbol. All activities take place on the Midway unless otherwise noted. While the schedule is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of printing, it is subject to change.
Friday, June 8
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Noon-6 p.m.
• Face painting and antler headband making for kids • Raffles for major prizes (Constitution Hall) $
• Kids’ coloring contest
9 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Big Woods Bucks Seminar (Grandstand)
• Moose Maine-iah monster truck rides $
10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., & 2:30 p.m.
2-7 p.m.
Noon 12:45-1:30 p.m. • Moose-calling competition (Grandstand)
• Live radio broadcast with the Mix 107.9 • Vendors including Operation Game Thief, outdoor retailers, food trucks, and more • Raffles for major prizes (Constitution Hall) $ • Exploratory activities for children • Archery and BB gun ranges • Moose Maine-iah monster truck rides $ • Beer garden (The Stable) $
• Axe Women Loggers of Maine shows
1:45 p.m.
10 a.m. and noon
• Guinness attempt—group moose call (Grandstand)
• Retriever field and drill demos with Cabela’s Pro Staff
2-5 p.m.
10 a.m.-noon
• IF&W Moose Permit Lottery Drawing (Grandstand)
• Fly-casting demo and competition with prizes donated by L.L.Bean (track)
5 p.m.
4:30-5:30 p.m.
10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
7-10 p.m.
• Warden meet and greet
5 p.m.
• Field/hunting dog presentation by North American Versatile Hunting Dogs Association
• Raffle drawings (Grandstand)
• Country music concert featuring Phil Vassar and Bryan White (Grandstand) $
• Big Woods Bucks Seminar (Bingo Hall)
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
5-8 p.m.
• Tessiers Farm petting zoo • Chainsaw carving demo with Josh Landry • Live music
7-10 a.m.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
9-11 a.m.
• Wild Game and Craft Brew Pairing and Tasting with live music (Constitution Hall) $
7-8:30 p.m. • Moose on the Loose bed races
Saturday, June 9 9 a.m.-8 p.m. • Live radio broadcast with Cruisin’ 93.5 • Vendors including Operation Game Thief, outdoor retailers, food trucks, and more • Climbing wall and other exploratory activities for kids • Archery and BB gun ranges
9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Maine Antique Power Association show, with tractor pulling 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
AXE WOMEN COURTESY AXE WOMEN LOGGERS OF MAINE.
• Edible & Medicinal Plants
Sunday, June 10 • Maple Breakfast (Constitution Hall) $
• Moose Maine-iah monster truck rides $
11 a.m. • Skowhegan Lions Club Chicken BBQ $
11 a.m.-1 p.m. • Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy tent featuring games and prizes (The Stable)
11 a.m.-10 p.m.
9 a.m.-noon • Vendors including Operation Game Thief, outdoor retailers, food trucks, and more • Live music • Exploratory activities for kids • Archery and BB gun ranges • Horse-drawn wagon rides
• Beer garden (The Stable) $
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. • Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Guides Q&A
MOOSE MAINE-IAH MONSTER TRUCK COURTESY MOOSE MAINE-IAH
SKOWHEGAN CRAFT BREW FEST AERIAL COURTESY RED STALLION MEDIA
SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
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About the Coveted Moose Permit Lottery Every year, Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife administers the Moose Permit Lottery, a drawing to select winners of Maine Moose Hunting Permits. To hunt moose in Maine, hunters must have one of these special permits, limited in order to promote a healthy moose population in the state. In 2017, 2,080 hunters came away with permits. Learn more at Maine.gov/online/moose.
Help Set a Guinness World Record Join us at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 9—we’ll be doing a group moose call for the chance to set a Guinness World Record for Most People Moose Calling Simultaneously! The current record is 995 people. We can beat it, but we need your help! No experience needed. Just show up at the Grandstand at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, June 9, just before the Moose Permit Lottery drawing, and be a part of history. @ BIERCHEN / ADOBE STOCK
Phil Vassar and Bryan White Skowhegan Fairgrounds Saturday, June 9 7 p.m. Join us during the Skowhegan Moose Festival for an American country music performance featuring headliner Phil Vassar and opening act Bryan White! Vassar and White will take the stage at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds following the Moose Permit Lottery. This concert is brought to you by Community Productions and Main Street Skowhegan.
Tickets PHIL BASSAR COURTESY MAIN STREET SKOWHEGAN
Tickets are $35 in advance (by 5 p.m. June 8; purchase at SkowheganMooseFest.com) and $45 after 5 p.m. on June 8. Fees apply for online and credit card purchases. All tickets are general admission, with seating in the grandstand. Tickets are nonrefundable. Show is rain or shine. This is an all-ages event.
About the Artists One of only a handful of musicians with multiple hits as both a songwriter and an artist, Phil Vassar has 10 “#1s,” 15 “Top 10s”, and 26 “Top 40s.” Some of his top songs include “Just Another Day in Paradise,” “Carlene,” “Six-Pack Summer,” “American Child,” “For a Little While” and “My Next Thirty Years” (Tim McGraw), “Right on the Money” (Alan Jackson), and “I’m All Right” and “Bye Bye” (Jo Dee Messina). He has won two ASCAP Songwriter of the Year trophies and been named Billboard Country Songwriter of the Year. In 2016 Vassar released his ninth album, American Soul. -Adapted from PhilVassar.com
BRYAN WHITE COURTESY MAIN STREET SKOWHEGAN
Grammy Award-winning artist Bryan White released his self-titled certified-Platinum debut in 1994. He followed up with back-to-back Platinum-selling albums, Between Now and Forever and The Right Place. He had six Number 1 singles with “So Much for Pretending,” “Sittin’ on Go,” “I’m Not Supposed to Love You Anymore,” “Rebecca Lynn,” “Someone Else’s Star,” and “From This Moment On”—recorded with Shania Twain—along with eight additional Top 40 singles. -Adapted from BryanWhite.com
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SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
Community Productions: A Community Resource If you look behind the scenes of the Phil Vassar/Bryan White concert on June 9, you’ll find an organization that quietly works to bring musical events to the Central Maine region while helping nonprofits. Community Productions teamed up with Main Street Skowhegan to produce this concert and help Main Street raise money, without financial risk, to further its mission. Gary Poulin and Dick Dyer founded Community Productions after Dyer left his day-to-day schedule with the Waterville Opera House and Waterville Creates!. Poulin had worked with Dyer on concerts produced in Waterville and wondered how they could continue their working relationship. Both recognized the importance that live music has in invigorating a community artistically and economically. They also recognized that many organizations would love to produce shows but can’t take the financial risk associated with the production of nationally known acts. That’s why Community Productions works with organizations to produce shows in local venues and shoulders the risk (financial and production). They have facilitated shows at the Waterville Opera House and Augusta Civic Center, including Sawyer Brown, Femmes of Rock, Marshall Tucker Band, and Travis Tritt, to name a few. For its part, the organization (in this case Main Street Skowhegan) must agree to do everything in its power to muster as much community support as possible through ticket sales and volunteers. “This is a perfect marriage between high-quality music and an organization with a strong community mission,” says Dyer. In this case, Main Street successfully bid to bring the Maine Moose Permit Lottery to Skowhegan and was looking to cap a day of festivities with a major concert. Executive Director Kristina Cannon contacted Poulin to see if Community Productions could help. Community Productions agreed to take on the project and began to research which acts would tour Central Maine on June 9. Key considerations were how to sell tickets, production challenges around staging and lighting, security, parking, food and drink, housing and hospitality for the act itself, and, of course, the cost of the act. “This is something we would never entertain ourselves,” said Cannon, “but because Community Productions has done so many major shows, we could rest comfortably knowing they could execute such an enormous task.” Though numbers won’t be known until after the show, the hope is that both organizations will not only cover costs but also add funding to their bottom lines. This concert is garnering support from Bangor Savings Bank and Bee Line Cable, as well as from numerous people who want to support Main Street’s mission to revitalize Skowhegan. Community Productions is busy planning for its third season, which begins in September. Acts are being considered for the Augusta Civic Center and Waterville Opera House, and Poulin and Dyer are fielding calls from nonprofits interested in collaborating to help meet their goals. Learn more by visiting CWhatsOn.com or calling 207-458-9458.
Skowhegan: A Place to Watch Centrally located along the sparkling Kennebec River, Skowhegan offers both urban and rural delights. Interested in hiking, swimming, tubing, or golfing? Check out Lake George, Eaton Mountain, Lakewood Golf Course, or one of Skowhegan’s many trails. Passionate about art or history? Take in the public art and the heritage on display everywhere from the Skowhegan History House to the Swinging Bridge. Looking for bowling, movies, or other fun family activities? Venues including Central Maine Family Fun, Gifford’s Ice Cream and Mini Golf, the Strand, and the Skowhegan Drive-In have you covered. How about local food experiences like apple-picking at one of the best orchards in New England (Cayford Orchards) or touring a craft brewery (Bigelow and Oak Pond)? Or maybe you’d like to visit a renowned farmers’ market or tour a grist mill? You guessed it—we offer all of that as well. Skowhegan isn’t standing still either. Plans are underway for Run of River, a whitewater recreation area in and around the gorge downtown that will include a whitewater park with three in-river features, a network of four-season trails on 300 acres in the heart of town, a riverfront promenade, and pristine fishing waters with improved fish habitat. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, Skowhegan has something for everyone and more than a few hidden gems. Visit Skowhegan and learn why it’s truly a place to watch. Learn more at VisitSkowhegan.com.
Save the Date! Upcoming 2018 Events in Skowhegan Cheese, Brews, and Bread Skowhegan State Fair June 24, Bigelow Brewing Co. WesArts.org
Aug. 9-18, Skowhegan Fairgrounds SkowheganStateFair.com
Kneading Conference
Open Studio
July 26-27, Skowhegan Fairgrounds KneadingConference.com
August 11-12, Central Maine OpenStudioMaine.com
Maine Artisan Bread Fair New Balance Tent Sale July 28, Skowhegan Fairgrounds KneadingConference.com
August 9-19, New Balance 207-858-6551
River Fest
Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival
Aug. 1-5, Downtown Skowhegan SkowheganRiverFest.com
Somerset Family Arts Festival
Sept. 1, Downtown Skowhegan SkowheganCraftBrewFest.com
Small Business Saturday
Aug. 4, Coburn Park WesArts.org
Nov. 24, Skowhegan MainStreetSkowhegan.org
Dinner in the Park
26th Annual Holiday Stroll
Aug. 4, Coburn Park MainStreetSkowhegan.org
Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Skowhegan MainStreetSkowhegan.org
Raffle Items While you’re ambling around the fairgrounds checking all the great demos, seminars, activities, and vendors, don’t forget to purchase a chance to win some of these amazing items and package deals.
Cabela’s Deluxe Maine Moose Hunting Package $900 value Cabela’s anti-microbial game quarter bags Cabela’s 8x42 Intensity HD Binoculars Cabela’s Tan 60 qt Polar Cap cooler Cabela’s IR HD Trail Camera Cabela’s Bow and Rifle Hunting Pack with Scent-Lok Cabela’s Hybrid Binocular Harness Cabela’s Alaskan Guide XR Headlamp Maine Atlas and gazetteer Silva Compass Havalon Barracuda Bone-Saw Combo pack Cabela’s Mono-Pod Shooting Stick Blaze Orange Field Cap Blaze Orange Polar Weight fleece hat/glove combo Small Cabela’s Ripcord Duffel in 02 Octane
Cabela’s North Woods Big Buck Package $900 value Maine Atlas and Gazetteer Silva Compass Small Cabela’s Ripcord Duffel in Camo Cabela’s 10x50 Intensity HD binoculars Cabela’s Hybrid Binocular harness Cabela’s Alaskan Guide XR head lamp White Cabela’s 25 qt Polar Cap cooler Cabela’s IR HD Trail Camera Cabela’s All-Day Transporter Fanny Pack Herter’s Ground Blind Blaze Orange Field Cap Cabela’s Polar Weight Fleece hat/glove combo Browning Cabela’s exclusive pocket knife
SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018
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Cabela’s North Country Excursion Package $700 value Small Cabela’s Ripcord Duffel in Tan Maine Atlas and gazetteer Silva Compass Two (2) Cabela’s Mountain Trapper Sleeping bags Cabela’s getaway 4 person dome tent Cabela’s 14 cup campfire coffee pot Cabela’s Tabletop Stainless Steel Propane grill Two (2) Cabela’s Bighorn Fly rod-and-reel combinations (6 wt) Browning Cabela’s Exclusive Pocket knife Tickets for each of the Cabela’s packages listed above are 1 for $10 or 3 for $25. Proceeds benefit Skowhegan revitalization projects.
Handcrafted Dogsled $500 value Own a piece of Maine history! This dogsled was made by students at the Skowhegan Regional Vocational Center—now known as the Somerset Career & Technical Center (SCTC)—in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1982. The latticework on the seat and the lashings are original, and the entire sled was recently revarnished by current SCTC students. Tickets for the dogsled are 1 for $10 or 3 for $25. Proceeds benefit the Run of River Whitewater Recreation Area. In addition to being on sale at the festival, tickets are also available online now at RunofRiver.org/raffles.
Wood Carving $450 value Watch local artisan Josh Landry carve a wooden sculpture live at the Skowhegan Moose Festival Saturday, June 9, from 10 to 2 p.m., and purchase a chance (or chances!) to win. You’ll be shocked by Landry’s precision with a chainsaw. Tickets for the wood carving are 1 for $10 or 3 for $25. Proceeds benefit Skowhegan revitalization projects.
The Skowhegan Moose Festival is coordinated by the Main Street Skowhegan Moose Festival Committee. While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this section is correct as of the date of publication, no guarantee is made as to the section’s accuracy or completeness. About the cover: Cover photo by Mike McVey Please visit us online for more information ... About the festival: SkowheganMooseFest.com About Skowhegan: VisitSkowhegan.com About Main Street Skowhegan: MainStreetSkowhegan.org
RAFFLE-DOGSLED COURTESY MAIN STREET SKOWHEGAN
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SKOWHEGAN MOOSE FESTIVAL • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • JUNE 1, 2018