Freedom Fest
People gathered from all over the country to attend the first Freedom Fest, organized by American Legion Fort Kent, Maine Post 133. The festival, which included 10 bands, also featured Maine's First Lady Ann LePage and SSG Travis Mills parachuting with the All Veteran Parachute Team into the event. LePage is known through her state as a true friend of veterans. SSG Mills is retired from the Army 82nd Airborne division. Mills lost his arms and legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in April of 2010, and was the first quadriplegic survivor of the Afghanistan War. Mills is also a member of American Legion Post 400 in his hometown of Vassar, Mich. Photos by Lucas Carter/The American Legion. Parachute photo courtesy The All Veteran Parachute Team.![Red, white and blue tickets are ready for the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Friday, August 8. Money from the beer tent tickets went to support American Legion Post 133 in Fort Kent, Maine. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/001_08082014_freedom_fest_4001_gallery_0.jpg?itok=apMFSCWR)
Red, white and blue tickets are ready for the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Friday, August 8. Money from the beer tent tickets went to support American Legion Post 133 in Fort Kent, Maine. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Motorcycle riders make their way into Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9 to kick off the 2014 Freedom Fest. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/002_08092014_freedom_fest_4040_gallery_1.jpg?itok=bAW-IcAQ)
Motorcycle riders make their way into Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9 to kick off the 2014 Freedom Fest. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Maine's First Lady Ann LePage leads the motorcycle convoy into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/003_08092014_freedom_fest_4090_gallery_1.jpg?itok=1v1hlANK)
Maine's First Lady Ann LePage leads the motorcycle convoy into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, The Saluting Marine, stands and salutes the motorcycle riders at the start of the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/004_08092014_freedom_fest_4098_gallery_1.jpg?itok=ZR3y7f5S)
Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, The Saluting Marine, stands and salutes the motorcycle riders at the start of the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Anita Ouellette, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 133 in Fort Kent, Maine prepares ployes, a food similar to a pancake but made with buckwheat that is specific to the region at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/005_08092014_freedom_fest_4138_gallery_1.jpg?itok=8B0Pu2l_)
Anita Ouellette, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 133 in Fort Kent, Maine prepares ployes, a food similar to a pancake but made with buckwheat that is specific to the region at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Randall Liberty, a member of the Waterville, Maine American Legion Post 5 addresses the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/006_08092014_freedom_fest_4141_gallery_1.jpg?itok=X4o23nJx)
Randall Liberty, a member of the Waterville, Maine American Legion Post 5 addresses the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Brig. Gen. Gerry Bolduc, Assistant Adjutant General of the Maine Air National Guard speaks to the 2014 Freedom Fest attendees in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/007_08092014_freedom_fest_4144_gallery_1.jpg?itok=QW3cnOaq)
Brig. Gen. Gerry Bolduc, Assistant Adjutant General of the Maine Air National Guard speaks to the 2014 Freedom Fest attendees in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![A member of the Young Marines helps control the perimeter before Maine's First Lady Ann LePage and Afghanistan vet Travis Mills parachute into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/009_08092014_freedom_fest_4149_gallery_1.jpg?itok=bChbvYOx)
A member of the Young Marines helps control the perimeter before Maine's First Lady Ann LePage and Afghanistan vet Travis Mills parachute into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![A solo parachuter of the All Veteran Parachute Team dives into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/010_08092014_freedom_fest_4167_gallery_1.jpg?itok=_TJT6lTm)
A solo parachuter of the All Veteran Parachute Team dives into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Rita LePage, mother of Maine's First Lady Ann LePage, watches nervously as her daughter parachutes with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/011_08092014_freedom_fest_4184_gallery_0.jpg?itok=hvOYm9nU)
Rita LePage, mother of Maine's First Lady Ann LePage, watches nervously as her daughter parachutes with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Maine's First Lady Ann LePage skydives for the first time, with the All Veteran Parachute Team during Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo courtesy All Veteran Parachute Team.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/020_LePage_gallery_1.jpg?itok=a5NVX2_L)
Maine's First Lady Ann LePage skydives for the first time, with the All Veteran Parachute Team during Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo courtesy All Veteran Parachute Team.
![Festival attendees look on as Maine's First Lady Ann LePage parachutes into Fort Kent, Maine with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/013_08092014_freedom_fest_6143_gallery_0.jpg?itok=INLPd40u)
Festival attendees look on as Maine's First Lady Ann LePage parachutes into Fort Kent, Maine with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Maine's First Lady Ann LePage laughs after touching down following her first parachuting experience at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. LePage is known in the state by her efforts to help veterans. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/012_08092014_freedom_fest_4215_gallery_0.jpg?itok=mYUSbGOG)
Maine's First Lady Ann LePage laughs after touching down following her first parachuting experience at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. LePage is known in the state by her efforts to help veterans. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Ann LePage, Maine's First lady, left, stands next to Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war after parachuting into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Mills, a retired 82nd Airborne soldier lost his arms and legs in an IED explosion on April 10, 2012. This was the second time he has parachuted since the explosion. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/014_08092014_freedom_fest_4228_gallery_0.jpg?itok=pLK4w6ye)
Ann LePage, Maine's First lady, left, stands next to Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war after parachuting into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Mills, a retired 82nd Airborne soldier lost his arms and legs in an IED explosion on April 10, 2012. This was the second time he has parachuted since the explosion. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Media interviews Maine's First Lady, Ann LePage, who skydived for the first time, and Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war after they parachuted with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/015_08092014_freedom_fest_6160_gallery_0.jpg?itok=pTSGVdjY)
Media interviews Maine's First Lady, Ann LePage, who skydived for the first time, and Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war after they parachuted with the All Veteran Parachute Team at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war talks with kids after parachuting into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. A retired member of the 82nd Airborne, the event was Mills' second time parachuting since he lost his arms and legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan on April 10, 2012. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/016_08092014_freedom_fest_6179_gallery_0.jpg?itok=wBx9a-wu)
Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, the first quadriplegic veteran of the Afghanistan war talks with kids after parachuting into the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. A retired member of the 82nd Airborne, the event was Mills' second time parachuting since he lost his arms and legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan on April 10, 2012. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Traci Britten, a family friend of Ray D'Aoust, who died of ALS, does](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/017_08092014_freedom_fest_4236_gallery_0.jpg?itok=aEKQSyxZ)
Traci Britten, a family friend of Ray D'Aoust, who died of ALS, does "the cold water challenge" in an effort to raise money and awareness for ALS at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, known as The Saluting Marine, speaks at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/018_08092014_freedom_fest_4243_gallery_0.jpg?itok=uh6MLoaL)
Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers, known as The Saluting Marine, speaks at the 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.
![The 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine hosted an all-day lineup of music on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.](https://www.legion.org/sites/legion.org/files/styles/scale800w/public/legion/photo-album/125478/2014-08-11/019_08092014_freedom_fest_4262_gallery_0.jpg?itok=SlHPoRHq)
The 2014 Freedom Fest in Fort Kent, Maine hosted an all-day lineup of music on Saturday, August 9. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion.