FARMINGTON — Time to once again celebrate local food at the 13th annual Maine Fiddlehead Festival on the University of Maine at Farmington campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2. The festival highlights Maine’s dedication to sustainability, local agriculture and community engagement offering something for everyone to enjoy.
The annual festival takes place rain or shine in the UMF High Street parking lot, the courtyard between the UMF Olsen Student Center and Roberts Learning Center buildings at the southern end of the campus and in the UMF amphitheater. Attendance is free and open to the public.
The Maine Fiddlehead Festival features a lively outdoor farmers market, live music, baby animals, educational exhibits and hands-on activities. Festival attendees should come hungry to the event as farmers and food producers will once again offer up many edible delights. Expect to find spring greens, fresh dug parsnips, seedlings, the last of the overwintered root crops, farm raised herbs and teas and specialty food products galore from farmers and artisan food vendors.
Fiddleheads in many creative dishes will be available for sampling at the cooking demonstration spearheaded by local chef Ashley Montgomery. Food trucks on site will include The Ugly Dumpling, Of Maine Origin and UMF Dining/Sodexo. With more than 70 vendors attending to represent farmers, artisan food producers, crafters, area nonprofits and more, there will be lots to see, do and eat at the festival.
Festival organizers have been hard at work creating a kid’s zone complete with hands-on activities, farm animals and exhibits. Back again this year is a line-up of Tent Talks throughout the day. Topics include sustainable fiddlehead harvesting, information about the Farmington Food Co-op, legislative priorities of the Natural Resources Council of Maine and a presentation about backyard composting.
In addition this year the UMF Community Garden, run by Professor Larry Tuttle and his team of student assistants plan to have planting events throughout the day and tours of the greenhouse and pollinator bed.
The outside amphitheater on campus will once again host a great lineup of musicians to entertain everyone throughout the day, including performances by Jan and John, Cole Martin and Sagittarius Rising.
The Fiddlehead Festival is organized cooperatively by UMF faculty, students, staff and local community members, with the generous support of local area businesses. In the spirit of the festival and to support local area food pantries, festival attendees are invited to drop off donations of non-perishable, shelf-stable food items at the Sustainable Campus Coalition table throughout the day.
If inclement weather occurs, the festival will move inside to the Student Center. Parking is available in nearby university lots located on High Street and on lower Main Street near Abbott Park.
For more information visit the Maine Fiddlehead Festival page on Facebook.
For questions about the event, contact Christine Wilson, UMF vice president for Student Affairs, at 207-778-7087 or [email protected].
