Maine Broiler Day 1949 Belfast Maine

Maine Broiler Day 1949 Belfast Maine

"Maine Broiler Day 1949 Belfast Maine" This photo is of the 1949 Broiler Day Festival and the long line waiting for their chicken dinners. More than 2000 people flocked to the festival to sample "All you can eat for $1.00". The 1951 festival attracted over 10,000 visitors who gobbled up 10 tons of chicken cooked in two 100' long barbecue pits Belfast became the Boiler Capital of Maine as the industry expands to a $1.5 million industry. Belfast's leadership in the broiler industry was recognized every July with the weekend festival featuring the "World's Biggest" chicken barbecue at City Park. Crowning the Maine Broiler Queen was a highlight of the festival. Over the years the festival's chairman, Bob Hall orchestrated lotteries, Beano, skydiving, railroad excursions, boxing, tournaments, road races, pancake breakfasts, visits by Naval vessels, bay cruises and concerts. In 1985, he asked the city council for permission to host a stripper. They declined to give that permission. Belfast in the mid-20th century was firmly established as "Broiler Capital of the World". Hundreds of thousands of chickens were raised in giant barns throughout Waldo County. At the peak of the industry 22,000 birds per hour were made ready for shipping at two plants situated on the waterfront. When Penobscot Poultry Company opened its state-of-the-art facility on this site in 1956, presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson was present at the opening ceremony. In its hayday it processed 180,000 birds / week. The plant closed in 1988 and was demolished in 1997.