FORT KENT – Crowds 5,000 strong and more have attended the start of the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race each March in this northern Maine town, and now the committee heading the classic is going to seek more fans from throughout New England, Canada and beyond.

Can-Am organizers, who are dependent on donations to put on the annual race, have had only limited funds to advertise the classic, a qualifier for North America’s famed 1,000-mile Iditarod race in Alaska.

But last week, Can-Am officials received news that they have been awarded a $55,000 grant from the Maine Tourism Bureau to extend advertising to areas outside of Maine.

The money must be spent in 2007. Organizers hope to create a video of the races, clips that can be used in Boston and beyond. Besides using television, they hope to advertise on radio and in major newspapers.

“This is a milestone for us,” Can-Am Crown President Rita Cannan said Tuesday. “This will allow a lot of exposure for the race and local sponsors. This is just great for everyone concerned.”

Northern Maine Development Commission helped the Can-Am group write the grant proposal.

Cannan said attracting more people from out of state to the classic would be good for all of Maine since visitors must travel the length of the state to get to Fort Kent. They will have to stop for food and gas or stay overnight along the way.

“We’ve wanted to do this for years, but we never had the money for this kind of advertising campaign,” she said. “I am just so excited as we prepare to start our effort for the 2008 race.”

The Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race is actually three races – a 30-miler, a 60-miler and the 250-mile classic – held each year during the first weekend in March. Next year’s race will be on March 16.

Fort Kent has become a place to go in the last 10 years with its snowmobiling, biathlon competitions, the sled dog races, and four-wheeling activities in the summer.

“When we can get people here once, they will return,” Cannan said. “Aroostook County and northern Maine is an area that people return to once they have been here once.”

If the advertising effort is deemed successful, the group could get more funds in future years to further boost tourism in the area.

Can-Am will start taking registrations from mushers on Aug. 15. Last year, the 90 team slots for the three races were filled within one week with mushers from throughout the northern states and many Canadian provinces.

More than $40,000 in prizes is up for grabs in the three races. The committee raises $80,000 each year from more than 50 sponsors to pay for the prizes and cover the expenses for putting on the races.