I’ve mentioned before that I am not native to Maine. However, I have always summered in Maine, and I’ve been living here in Maine for almost eight years. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s I attended sleep-away camp in Raymond, and it was here where I was introduced to Moxie, the state soda of Maine. While many dislike the taste, I found that I had acquired a certain fondness for the drink.
A few years after I moved to Maine, I heard whispers of a festival in Lisbon celebrating my favorite soda. After doing some research and clearing my schedule, I was able to attend the Moxie Festival. The festival is always the second weekend of July, and the celebration runs from Friday to Sunday. The first day I attended was Friday, and I enjoyed myself immensely. The first thing I noticed were the food trucks and food stalls. There was Cheese The Day, a grilled cheese food truck, Boba Tea and Dumplings, a fried dough stall selling Moxie floats, and LA Tacos. There were a number of other food trucks as well, so there were plenty of options. Some of the vendors accept credit and debit cards, but most others only accept cast. There is an ATM available, so you’re covered if you need to withdraw some money.
There is a ton to do as well while attending the festival. There is live music that can be heard throughout the celebration and vendors selling a wide variety of products including jewelry, home décor, and Moxie products. Furthermore, there was a face painting stall, as well as toys and clothes for sale. There was even a dance performance from a nearby dance studio.
On Saturday, the day started with a 5K for adults and children. However, the main draw for the festival on Saturday was the parade. Billed as the largest parade in Maine, people started lining the route way before the 10am start time. I recommend getting to the parade route early to not only get a parking spot, but to get a good spot for the parade. The parade included go karts, an appearance by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and even an orange Darth Vader! Saturday’s festivities continued after the parade, including a whoppie pie eating competition, as well as a Moxie chugging contest.
I was unable to attend the third and final day but it sounded like a lot of fun. The online schedule mentioned a lot of different activities, like a car show. While disappointing, there is always next year. However, I enjoyed myself quite a bit, and I’m definitely looking forward to next year’s festivities. If you want to learn more about the Moxie Festival, you can click here. Keep in mind that as the festival is over, the website is pretty bare, so make sure to check back in as the next celebration. As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?
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