The Aroostook Shrine Club kicks off springtime with Spring Basket Feztival

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The Aroostook Shrine Club kicked off springtime this weekend with the Spring Basket Feztival in Presque Isle. News Source 8′s Isaac Potter was there Saturday and has the story.

Spring was in the air at the Northeastland Hotel. Some people were looking to win prizes, while the supporting The Aroostook Shrine Club. The annual spring basket Feztival helps raise money for the club.

Shawn Lahey, Event Organizer, says “It’s a fun way to get out and enjoy the turn of Spring. It’s starting to warm up and get everybody outside, and doing things in the community, but it is a fundraiser that we do at the Aroostook Shrine Club. We try to raise money throughout the year, keep the club moving, get some donations at the end of the year. It’s one of our biggest and funnest events right now.”

At the Spring Basket Feztival, dozens of businesses and organizations donate easter baskets filled with prizes. Lahey said there were lots of fun things to do for family and friends at the event.

Shawn Lahey: “Well you got the Easter Bunny behind me here, he is taking pictures with folks. You can go ahead take a photo with him, no need to donate or anything. There is right now 60 baskets, well 57 technically, but 60 baskets that local businesses and organizations, families, they all donate those to help us raise the money. You get a chance to have that feel of excitement and win something cool.”

This year marked the fourth year of the event, and marked the first year of it being held at the Northeastland Hotel.

Shawn Lahey: “We have done two days so far, we have had only been open for about six hours and we have quite a few people through. I think being at the Northeastland, that might’ve helped we get some different foot traffic, folks going to Rodney’s and then going downstairs after they eat. So they have kind of made it a thing, made their day out of it.

Lahey says what makes the event so special is putting on a fun event to bring the community together.

Shawn Lahey: “We had one of our Shriners and his wife, they came up with the idea after going to a festival of trees that we do down in Bangor, and they wanted to put a spin on it and it’s kind of our thing. We have owned it, we have been able to mature it, and make it fun. Just a great community, and that’s what it is all about.”

The event was a great way to kick off the Spring season, and the Shrine club is looking forward to putting on the event next year. Isaac Potter, News Source 8.

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