By Jim Kanak
Staff Columnist
OGUNQUIT —The crowds were out in Ogunquit this weekend as the Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Patriots Day festival. The event, which celebrates the midnight ride of Paul Revere and also the return of good weather, has activities that offer something for everyone. Saturday served as a case in point, highlighted by the craft bazaar on the grounds of the Ogunquit Playhouse, the Taste of the Town at the Dunaway Center, and a treasure hunt that led interested scavenger hunters all across town.
Denise Sopchyk and Carole Aaron spent Saturday staffing the chamber’s concession stand at the bazaar. They had a firsthand look at how things went in the crowded tent, where visitors had their choices of jewelry, photography, massage, clothes, and basket crafts to name just a few of the attractions.
“Things are going great this morning,” Sopchyk said. “We have not been able to keep up with coffee and the vendors are happy. That’s a good sign.”
Tammy Heon staffed the Ogunquit Playhouse’s table, stocked with copies of the written history of the Playhouse as well as schedules of the coming season’s plays. “We just cast Lorenzo Lamas as Zack in ‘A Chorus Line’,” Heon said. “He just loved it here (when he starred in ‘The King and I’ two years ago) and has been wanting to come back. And Sally Struthers will be back in ‘All Shook Up’, playing the mayor – the resident bad girl.”
Ken Bartuka of the Names Project, the group that brings the AIDS Quilt to town each spring, manned a table as well. “We have had quite a lot of people coming through,” he said. “I was surprised. I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been a good crowd so far this morning. I think the free trolley is helping.”
At one end of the tent, members of Cub Scout Troop 357 were selling rubber ducks for Sunday morning’s duck race. Three kids, Ryan Shackford, Marcus Tufts and Sarah Shackford, worked the booth with their moms, Beth Tufts and Pam Shackford. They were nothing if not enthusiastic in their sales pitch.
“You can get an adorable little duck and win $1, 000,” Ryan told passers-by. And all for just $10 a chance.
By late morning, the Dunaway Center was abuzz as staff from the nine participants and the chamber set up in the Great Hall for the taste test.
But, there was additional action, as well. The treasure hunt ended there. Joe Scicchitano and his kids Dominic and Nadia, in town from Berwick, Penn., had traced the clues across town to find the final in a series of lanterns that had been hidden.
“We got everything,” the elder Scicchitano said. “The kids went like crazy, starting at Veterans Park. There was one color of each paper lantern placed in shops.”
“Each one gave a clue for where the next color was,” said Nadia.
Scicchitano said the family frequently visited Ogunquit. “It’s our home away from home,” he said.
As noon approached, the line for the taste of the town event swelled. Visitors could choose among a great variety of treats from chowders to black beans and sausages to vegetable spring rolls to pulled pork sandwiches to spinach salad. There were desserts as well, including chocolate truffles, gelato, and fudge.
Vera and Tom Scolastico of Wilmington, Mass. tried some clam chowder. “The chowder is delicious,” Tom said. “We’re having a lovely time.”
For Bernice and Robert McNichols of Foxborough, Mass. the pulled pork was a treat but so was the entire event.
“The pulled pork is very good,” Robert said. “It has cole slaw on top. We try to make this weekend every year.”
Photo caption: Pack 357 of the Cub Scouts sold rubber ducks for the Patriots Day weekend Duck Race in Ogunquit. Proceeds went to the Cub Scouts. Front, L to R: Sarah Shackford, Marcus Tufts, and Ryan Shackford. Back, Beth Tufts (l) and Pam Shackford. (Weekly Sentinel photo)
