GARDINER: Summer kicks off with Whatever Family Festival

BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer 06/22/2008

GARDINER -- Gardiner residents kicked off their part of the annual Whatever Family Festival Saturday under sunny blue skies.

The Celebrate Gardiner Festival, an annual celebration of the town's waterfront, downtown, and kick off to the weeks-long Whatever Family Festival, had all the makings of a classic Americana festival: jewelry stands, arts and crafts for sale and, of course, lots of food.

Gardiner favorites like the Blue Sky Bakery and Gerard's Pizza had vendor stands set up on Water Street, but new businesses, like the English pub The Mad Dog, which has opened its doors for business, also set up a stand, enticing visitors.

The Mad Dog was one of the attractions Stephen and Nancy Diamond found while Water Street Saturday afternoon.

"We do come out to events regularly that support the community, but we are very happy to see a new restaurant in downtown Gardiner," Nancy Diamond said.

Added her husband, Stephen Diamond, "It's not often we see a new place downtown, so we're very intrigued and interested."

Celebrate Gardiner Festival is the perfect kick off to summer, the couple, who have lived in Gardiner for 29 years, said.

"There's always so much to enjoy every year, and of course, the fireworks display," Nancy Diamond said.

The fireworks display comes after the well-known annual talent show, Denise Reehl, artistic director of Johnson Hall, said.

"We have 17 acts this year, and it will be exciting," Reehl said. "We have literally hundreds of people watch the talent show."

Both the talent show -- which features anything from baton twirlers to Irish step dancers -- and the fireworks display take place on the waterfront, where even more foods and activities were featured throughout the day, including the Kennebec Valley Humane Society's Paddle for Paws and canoe and kayak tryouts along the river.

Brooke Harding, 26, brought her daughters Molly Rose Mercire, 3 and Allee Mercire, 2 to the waterfront, along with Harding's aunt, Nan Panek, who was visiting from Parsons, Kan. It was Panek's second trip to Maine.

The family noshed on fair-foods like French fries and cold lemonade, and took in the festive scene.

"I love Maine," Panek said. "(The Celebrate Gardiner Festival) seemed like something great to do and to experience the downtown."

The Whatever Festival earned its name decades ago when people would build boats "out of whatever" and float down the Kennebec River, Reehl said.

The original tradition has been lost -- mostly for people's safety -- but Reehl said festival organizers would like "to bring the focus back to the river and waterfronts."

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431