Come celebrate the conclusion of a great summer with family, friends, and neighbors at Scarborough’s 26th Annual Summerfest event. Set for Friday, August 19, festivities will begin at 5 p.m. on the Clifford Mitchell Sports Complex by the high school. Scarborough Community Services has been working hard all year long to add great new offerings for kids and kids-at-heart, and are excited for the event to kick off!

Along with the mission of bringing the community together, another goal of this annual event is to support local nonprofits, including service organizations, school sports groups, and several local churches, with their fundraising efforts. Event vendors offer everything from fun activities, games, and crafts to dinner and dessert items, or raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes. Admission to the event and parking are free, but keep in mind certain activities and food may be available for purchase. The Roaming Railroad, a trackless train, will also be at Summerfest to traverse families around the field throughout the event.

“Running” alongside the main event will be the annual Scarborough Summerfest 5K and Kids’ 1-mile race. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. by the tennis courts or may also be completed online at www.active.com. Register online ahead of time to receive a discount, as well as a T-shirt. This is a great way to start this fun summer event while supporting the Scarborough track and cross-country programs.

Here are some of the new and exciting additions at this year’s event:

Back by popular demand! Thanks to a generous donation from Town & Country Federal Credit Union, Summerfest will once again have a Bounce Zone for kids! Bouncy items include a Rad Run Challenge obstacle course, a Disney Frozen bounce house, a 22-foot giant slide, the Xtreme Bop and Bounce Dance Dome, and the Bungee Run. In all, we will have six bounce items provided by Sharper Events (one bounce house will be restricted to ages 6 and under). Please Note: The best time to come visit the Bounce Zone is early on in the evening. Peak times at the Bounce Zone happen from 6 to 8 p.m.

The musical entertainment this year is Holly Heist, Maine’s premier rock/pop/dance cover band. Featuring Alex Roy of Sparks the Rescue, the band’s repertoire consists of all the essential 1990s and 2000s rock, pop, and dance songs that are guaranteed to get people up and dancing. Holly Heist will be rocking the stage from 7 to 9 p.m., wrapping up just in time for the fireworks show set to begin at 9:15 p.m.

Food options are abundant this year thanks to some local nonprofits and local food trucks. West Scarborough United Methodist Church will be on hand with their famous blueberry and apple crisps and ice cream. Local businesses like Texas Roadhouse and Clean Eatz will be selling some of their wares. Food trucks include Mr. Tuna, Cheese the Day, Char Wrig’s Sno & Dough Adventures, Poppie’s Kettle Corn, Betty ReeZ WhoopieZ, and Millside Creations Hotdogs.

Scarborough Police and Fire are inviting visitors into the Public Safety building for an Open House from 5 to 7 p.m. See our dispatch center, which handles 24-hour emergency calls for Police, Fire, and Rescue. Meet police officers and see our fire trucks, too. Tours will be conducted every half hour during this time. Stop in for a visit!

Our event concludes with a grand finale of fireworks, scheduled to begin around 9:15 p.m. Please be sure to bring your blanket or folding chair and find your spot early. We look forward to seeing everyone on Aug. 19!

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