MORNING SENTINEL • September 25, 2021
When officials made the decision to cancel the annual Common Ground Country Fair due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, local business owners opted to put together an event for those who still wanted to make the trip to central Maine. The fair, usually held annually the third weekend after Labor Day, was canceled for the second year in a row due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the rising COVID-19 cases throughout Maine. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association officials called off the event that usually draws about 60,000 people to town over its three-day run. This would have been the fair’s 50th anniversary. This year, instead of an online event, a group of local business owners decided to create a passport tour in lieu of the fair. Saturday’s participants were able to make their way through the region, stopping at participating businesses to receive or stamp a “passport card.”