08/26/2025
A message from Event Chair, Jordyn Madore:
We have so many thank yous to give out for this year's festival. Dozens of community partners helped us pull off a fabulous event, and we will get there....But first:
I'm going to ask everyone to please help me thank this extraordinary group of people: our volunteer committee. These are the faces that work year round to bring this festival to Presque Isle for no other reason except they want to.
Over the past several years, I have watched this committee as it evolved and became a true powerhouse team; they donate their time and expertise, overcoming obstacles (some in our control but others not), to bring magic to our region. And they've done a heck of a job this year. 2 successful flights before Erin shut down our field, tethered rides, a balloon glow and candle glow are just the tip of the iceberg. They also managed a full food court, nearly 100 crafters and vendors, 2 days of free children's activities, added a new music festival, organized local school visits for pilots, and collaborated with over half a dozen community organizations to host events. They changed (probably) hundreds of trash cans, assembled/disassembled hundreds of feet of fencing, mopped floors, washed tables, flipped pancakes, answered thousands of questions...and did it generally with smiles on their faces, despite their mental and physical fatigue. Because they wanted to. Because they feel it is important to do something for the community they love. This group is the definition of what it means to be civically engaged and to give back to the place we call home.
I was weepy Sunday night during our closing toast and I'm definitely "not" weepy now as I type this but THANK YOU Nate, Aaron, Chelsea, Charlie, Melissa, Jess, Nick, Jake, Pam, Amy, Derik, Floyd, Eric, Margo, Geoff, Ryan, Jen, LaNiece, and Sam. I am so proud of us and what we were able to do this year. There is no other group of people I'd rather be overtired with in 2026 than all of you ❤️
-Mother Hen signing off (for now)
