Attendees visit vendor booths during the first Maine Needham Festival. (Courtesy photo)
Maine Tasting Center, at 506 Old Bath Road in Wiscasset, will host the second annual Maine Needham Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28.
This family-friendly event celebrates the cultural and culinary tradition of Maine needhams with food, games, vendors, themed drink specials, needham-making demonstrations and classes, and even a homemade needham contest.
Needhams, also known as “potato candy,” are a traditional Maine candy consisting of a coconut and potato filling covered in chocolate. With a history dating back over 150 years, needhams have long been one of Maine’s favorite sweet treats.
Last year Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill that designated the last Saturday of September as Maine Needham Day, thereby creating an annual day of commemoration for this historic treat and the small businesses that have kept it going for well over a century.
Motivated by this official recognition, Malaika and Gerard Picard, owners of Maine Needham Co. in Saco, partnered with Sara Gross, of Wiscasset’s Maine Tasting Center, to plan the first festival to celebrate Maine Needham Day.
This year, the planning committee has grown to include Kristen Fraizer, of Wilbur’s of Maine in Freeport, and Bob and Kate Gartland, of Robin’s Confections in Biddeford.
A display about the first Maine Needham Festival. (Courtesy photo)
The festival is intended to be a day of celebration centered around the culinary tradition of the Maine needham, Maine potatoes, and, of course, Maine itself.
“There are many candymakers here in Maine that carry on the needham tradition and we’re thrilled to have so many of them participating in the festival – as vendors, sponsors, and even as judges for our homemade needham contest!” said festival coordinator and Maine Needham Co. owner, Malaika Picard.
Wilbur’s of Maine and Robin’s Confections are two such candymakers, who will both be participating as vendors, judges, and sponsors of the event.
Maine Tasting Center is proud to, once again, host the festival on its newly renovated campus.
“Our entire purpose is to educate about and promote Maine’s food industries and producers, so participating in this event was an easy decision for us!” said Maine Tasting Center General Manager Sara Gross. “We’re really excited to help bring this community celebration to life.”
Amongst the festival’s many attractions will be needham-making demonstrations led by Maine Tasting Center Culinary Director Liz Gross, and the debut of a specialty needham-inspired brew by Blaze Brewing Co., of Biddeford, in the campus tasting room.
Other attractions include local artisans and vendors, live music by Isaac Boll and Jud Caswell, food trucks, and much more. Thanks to its generous sponsors, the Maine Needham Festival is free to attend.
Planning for the festival is well underway but additional support is needed to make it the best it can be. The committee continues to seek sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and homemade needham contest competitors.
For more information or to sign up, go to meneedhamfest.com.
