EVENTS: Oakland’s Oakfest set for July 25-26, 2025

Come experience a weekend of family fun Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26, and see why Oakfest is rated among the 10 Best Outdoor Festivals in Maine this summer!

This year’s Oakfest theme is Margaritaville: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffet, with two days of family entertainment. Bring your children ages 8-12 downtown to participate in the Oakland Lions Club “Lions Safari” (call Kathy at 465-7357 to pre-register) and take a tour of Memorial Hall and the Oakland Museum from 5 to 7 p.m. Oakfest 2025 officially kicks off Friday night at 6 p.m., with a parade down Main Street, led by this year’s grand marshal Monica Charette, Maine’s Mother of the Year, and the ShineOnCass Foundation. Following the parade there will be food trucks, music by “RJ the DJ” Richard Jandreau from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and a street dance with live music by “I Want My MTV Band” sponsored by Decker Simmons American Legion, from 8 to 11 p.m. Stop by the American Legion Beer Tent for patrons 21+ and enjoy food and music all evening.

Saturday’s ShineOn Oakland Day festivities start at 9 a.m., behind Williams Elementary School, at 55 Pleasant Street, in Oakland, with an expansive, 75-booth ShineOn Oakland Open Air Market. The day-long event features Maine-made artisans and crafters, an extensive variety of food vendors, dozens of fun children’s activities sponsored by Kingdom Life Church, including bounce houses, a water slide, climbing wall, and carnival games. Have your children choose a free book to take home as part of the ShineOnCass Literacy Project. Plus there will be a Cruise-In Classic Car Show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy live music until 3 p.m., at the ShineOn Oakland Stage, plus much more!

Come to the ATV Barbeque from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and stay until dusk for Oakfest’s grand finale of Messalonskee Trail Riders’ “Glow Ride” to light up downtown Oakland.

Oakfest is proudly sponsored by the Town of Oakland, Oakland Ameri­can Legion, Oakland Furniture (In memory of Alan Breton), Somerset Stone & Stove, Kennebec Valley Federal Credit Union, Granite Corp., Kingdom Life Church, Bri Designs, United Rentals, Oakland Lions Club, RSU #18, Valley Beverage, and the ShineOnCass Foundation

Oakfest is pleased to partner with the ShineOnCass Foundation to provide an annual community support project for the summer festival. This year’s “Shine a Light on Literacy” will provide free books to children who attend ShineOn Oakland Day, on Saturday. For more information about the project, visit shineoncass.org.

“We are excited to welcome back hundreds of attendees to Oakfest 2025, offering food, music and family-friendly activities for all ages. Oakfest is the place to be this summer in Maine,” says Oakfest Committee Co-chairman Kathy Paradis, who along with Co-chairman Abby Marshall and a committee of volunteers, coordinates the annual community festival.

For more information about Oakfest 2025, call Kathy Paradis at 207-465-7357, visit the Town of Oakland Facebook Page or their website: oaklandmaine.us/oakfest/.