Machias shaking up berry festival’s vendor tradition

MACHIAS – Volunteer organizers for the Machias Blueberry Festival, marking its 30th year in August, have asked town selectmen to make a change – all in the name of improved safety.

For years the festival has provided the town with three prime spots on Center Street, the main pedestrian area, to rent as retail booths. Three food vendors from Machias who contract with the selectmen have enjoyed having the same space each year.

This Aug. 20-21, the festival committee is placing all food vendors in a food court with power and water for the booths and seating, restrooms and entertainment for those eating.

Selectmen weren’t sure how the change will go over with their longtime vendors but told festival representatives Monday evening they would consider their requests with safety and a bigger, better festival in mind.

“We think the blueberry festival is a very exciting time for the town, and we will do our best to cooperate,” board Chairman Sandra Altmannsberger said.

The selectmen heard from three festival committee members, Marge Ahlin and Sharon Dean representing the Centre Street Congregational Church, and Louise West of the Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

The festival wants to shift all booths off Center Street to keep the street relatively open for emergency vehicles, if the need arises. The festival representatives asked the town not to rent out its usual three booth spaces at all, not even to craft vendors.

The selectmen want to meet with the town’s fire and police services before they respond to the festival committee.

The food-court change is one of several for the weekend, which draws up to 20,000 tourists at the height of Washington County’s blueberry harvest.

The festival is switching to a two-day schedule from the previous single Saturday. The 200-plus craft and food vendors now will set up for the full weekend, and visitors will be served by a shuttle service for cars parked at both the University of Maine at Machias and Machias Memorial High School.

The lot at the corner of Court and Free streets, owned by the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, will be used exclusively for handicapped parking. The former Colonial parking lot at High and Free streets, owned by the Machias Savings Bank, will be used as the vendors’ food court.

The bank has agreed to supply power to replace noisy generators, and the festival will set up a Dumpster nearby to handle trash.

“These changes will generate a lot of dollars for everyone in town,” even if some vendors find themselves in a new place, West told selectmen.

Alayne Willard, the board’s vice chairman, said the town appreciated the update in festival planning.

“It’s very informative,” she said. “We’d like to hear more as there are more plans.”