LISBON (NEWS CENTER Maine)-- For the last 36 years, the Maine Moxie Festival has taken over Lisbon the second weekend of July. The event began Friday July 13 and will end Sunday July 15.
Moxie's creator, Dr. Augustin Thompson, was a Maine native who originally marketed the beverage 132 years ago as "Moxie Nerve Foods" in Lowell, Massachusetts. So what better location than Maine to have the festival?
The first Moxie Festival was held by the late Frank Anicetti in 1982, who passed away in 2017. His efforts of holding the festival paved the way to Moxie being declared as Maine's official beverage in 2005.
The Maine Moxie Festival includes a parade, food vendors, food eating challenges, a 5k race, and of course, Moxie.
According to the Maine Moxie Festival website, the festival's parade has been renamed in honor of the former parade chair Gina Mason to the Gina Mason Memorial Moxie Parade after her passing in 2017.
At the festival, attendees can purchase Moxie drinking glasses, coasters, T-shirts and more.
Most of the scheduled events are held Saturday, July 14, such as the food vendors, the parade, pony rides and model trains. On Sunday a car show will be held at noon time.
For a full list of scheduled events visit the Maine Moxie Festival website.