PORTLAND, Maine - June is National Dairy Month, and the Portland Sea Dogs are helping Maine's dairy farmers celebrate with Maine Dairy Night on Saturday, June 21st when the Sea Dogs play a doubleheader against the Altoona Curve (Pirates Affiliate) at 5:00PM at Hadlock Field.
Among the festivities of the night will be a cow-milking contest between players and an attempt to break the world record for the Largest Cowbell Ensemble.
Smiling Hill Farm will have one of their dairy cows on the field at 4:30 p.m. for a milking contest in which milkers will have 30 seconds to see who can squirt the most milk into their bucket.
The cowbell ensemble will take place in the sixth inning of the first game. The first 1,900 fans through the gate will receive a blue cowbell. One hundred special edition red bells have been reserved for dairy farmers and their friends to participate.
"The Guinness Book of World Records lists the largest cowbell ensemble as 640 at an event in Switzerland,"
said Jami Badershall, communications manager of the Maine Dairy Promotion Board. "World Record Academy lists it as Ryerson University in Toronto with 1,003 people. Then there was the unofficial record at a Phish concert in Vermont. They say they had 1,600. We figured if we give out 2,000, then we'll be sure to beat them all. We are also asking that if anyone has a cowbell of their own, that they bring it so we can have that many more participate."
On a serious note, the night will also be an opportunity to raise awareness for the Great American Milk Drive - an effort between Feeding America and the National Dairy Council to get milk into the hands of the nation's food insecure. Milk is one of the most requested nutritious foods at food banks and food pantries, but it is rarely donated. Food banks that are part of the Feeding America network have been working to get more fresh fruits and vegetables as well as dairy into the food pantries.
During Maine Dairy Night at Hadlock Field, Maine's three major milk processors - Oakhurst, Hood and Garelick Farms - will donate 10 gallons of milk per run to area food banks and pantries. Everyone can participate by making a $5 donation at milklife.com/give or by texting "milk" to 27722. Along with cowbells, fans will also have the opportunity to win fun dairy-related prizes throughout the night and sample Cabot's new Legacy Collection of cheeses.
Tickets for Maine Dairy Night at Hadlock Field, and all remaining Sea Dogs games are available by calling the ticket office at 207-875-9500 or by visiting www.seadogs.com.
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