Maine food producers and artisans will gather this weekend at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor for the Maine Harvest Festival and Craft Show, as they have since 2011.
But there is a twist to this year’s festival: for the first time, attendance is free.
Organizers waived the entry fees this year in an effort to draw 5,000 people to the event, where attendance has remained low since the pandemic, said Brad LaBree, director of sales and marketing for the center. Attendance has fluctuated between 2,500 and 8,500 over the years.
Cross Insurance organizers have been trying to bring more visitors to their other programs too, including the Bangor State Fair, concerts and comedians. The harvest festival fits into that lineup as a celebration of Maine’s agricultural heritage and creative spirit, according to LaBree.
“The word of the day is ‘free,’” he said, noting the free entry along with free food samples and drawings for free tickets to future shows.
More than 80 vendors selling local honey, cheese, sausage, hot sauce, maple products, alcoholic beverages, jelly, spices, furniture, kitchen tools, soap and even garden soil will fill the arena and concourse. That number may reach 100 when last-minute additions are finalized.
Live music acts, cooking demonstrations and educational talks are scheduled for the stage throughout the weekend.
Shoppers can also talk with vendors and learn from them, according to LaBree, which is an experience they can’t get in a big box store.
“We just want a full arena of happy local people shopping locally,” he said.
It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23 to 24. Doors close at 3:30 p.m. A full schedule is available online.
