The continuing celebration of Sanford’s 250th year of incorporation includes a Summer Block Party and Antique and Classic Car Show Friday evening followed on Saturday by a food truck and brew festival called Sanford On Tap. COURTESY PHOTO/Sanford Springvale Chamber of Commerce
SANFORD — Old cars, good food, a brew or two, music and fun activities for kids all help make a celebration.
This coming weekend, Sanford residents and those from away can take in all of the above, at events Friday evening and late Saturday afternoon.
On Friday, there’s a Summer Block Party and Antique and Classic Car Show downtown on Main Street, complete with cool cars, music, food and beer.
On Saturday, the Sanford on Tap Beer and Food Festival takes place on Roberts Street, showcasing 13 craft breweries — each bringing three of their best brews — and a host of food trucks offering everything from gourmet hot dogs to the Franco-American poutine, whoopie pies to Cambodian and Vietnamese street food.
Both are designed to help this city mark the 250th anniversary of incorporation.
The block party and car show are back after a few years hiatus, said Sanford Springvale Chamber of Commerce President Richard Stanley.
“We expect to attract a good variety of classic cars from around York County,” he said.
The fun starts at 5 p.m. and winds down at 9 p.m.
The Legends radio station will broadcast live from the block party and car show from 5 to 7 p.m, followed by two live performers — singers Big Rachkowskie and Louis Coluni, said Stanley.
All of the food vendors for the event are nonprofit organizations, he said, offering an array of block party-type food from sausage subs to hot dogs and hamburgers. Beer and wine will be available.
Those planning to show their nifty old cars should drive them to Sanford Junior High school between 3:30 and 5 p.m., when they’ll parade down Main Street to the venue. Main Street will be blocked off to vehicular traffic from Lebanon Street to Washington Street for the event.
On Saturday afternoon — from 2 to 6 p.m. — people can take in Sanford on Tap, which will take place on Roberts Street and in the baseball venue called Goodall Park. Roberts Street will be closed to traffic from Shaw Street to Trafton Street during the event.
Food trucks, about 10 in all, featuring a variety of cuisines, will line the street.
There will be games and activities for kids too.
Those 21 and older with a thirst to try a new brew or sample an old favorite can do so. The 13 brewers will bring three varieties each, so people will have ample varieties from which to choose, organizers said.
“We wanted a new and different idea that we thought people would enjoy,” said Sherry Lord of the Sanford 250th Celebration Committee. “We wanted to bring in residents but also people from other communities.”
She said the committee thought of a food truck festival and a brew festival and decided to bring the two together. But they also wanted to make the event a family affair, so included fun activities for kids — like the six different inflatable bounce and activity venues, games, face painting and more.
A radio station will broadcast live from the event, and a deejay will play popular tunes.
There is no admission charge. Attendees pay for the food they purchase and pay at the door or in advance for tickets to the brew fest — tickets are $35 at www.SanfordOnTap.com, $40 at the door, and organizers say there are a limited number of discounted tickets available through Groupon.
Lord said IDs for those taking part in the brew fest will be checked, and there will be security on site.
Free parking is available at the Midtown Mall and in the municipal lots on School Street, behind City Hall and adjacent to the Sanford Police Station. The Goodall Park-Benton Playground lot will be available for those requiring handicapped parking and is accessible by Twombley Road, said Lord.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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