Moose Lottery Festival kicks off summer for Moosehead Lake region
By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
GREENVILLE – Although moose are one of the major tourist attractions of the Moosehead Lake region, the annual Maine moose permit lottery has never been held in Greenville – until now, that is.
Cabela’s, one of the nation’s premier sporting goods outfitters, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) and the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to host the lottery on Saturday, June 15 at Greenville High School.
Last year more than 54,000 people applied for one of the 3,725 moose permits allocated by IF&W. This year, there will be 4,110 awarded.
“When the lottery was held in Rangeley last year, it brought an estimated 10,000 new visitors to the community that weekend,” said Amber Lavigne, the executive director of the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce. “We are hoping for at least 5,000 to 6,000. We started getting calls about lodging in early May, and since Memorial Day the Chamber office has been really busy.”
Moose Lottery Weekend on Friday, June 14 with a moose hunt game for the youngsters, organized by Janet Chasse; hunting and fishing exhibits at the Center for Moosehead History and “Taste of Moosehead” dishes at participating restaurants.
On June 15, the day starts with breakfast at the American Legion followed by a full schedule of family events – including a kids’ fishing derby, tours of the steamship Katahdin, ATV rides and the Moosemainea Craft Fair – leading up to the moose lottery drawing at Greenville School starting at 3 p.m. Suppers will be served at the Masonic Lodge and Holy Family Catholic Church from 5-7 p.m.
For updates and a complete schedule of Moose Lottery Weekend, click on the Town Calendar link at www.greenvilleme.org.