About

Biddeford WinterFest began in 2012 when Mayor Alan Casavant gathered a group of individuals and organizations together to plan a weekend designed to get people outside and build community. From the start, Mayor Casavant found a true WinterFest champion in John Maxson (pictured below, far left with WinterFest volunteers). John coordinated WinterFest from 2012-2016 and is dearly missed since his passing on Sept. 27, 2017.

John loved organizing WinterFest for the children of Biddeford. He frequently said he wanted to see smiles on children’s faces in the middle of the winter when it’s often dark and dreary. For those who had very little, he wanted them to have a great winter experience at no cost. John worked tirelessly coordinating and organizing, with his special way of bringing people with little or nothing in common together to create something amazing. He didn’t seek credit for all his work – the only thing he ever wanted for himself was to take the first run down the sledding hill.

Now, WinterFest weekend is packed with events from Friday through Sunday, February 9-11, 2024. WinterFest strives to have something for everyone; indoor, outdoor, younger and older! Check out the Schedule-of-Events page to see all that’s going on!