RICHMOND — After the success of its first year, Moose Mountain Adventure Park reopens Saturday for the park’s second season and will suspend construction on an additional 18-hole mini-golf course until later in the year.
For Saturday’s opening day, in celebration of May 4 — a day made popular by “Star Wars” fans — those who dress up in Star Wars costumes will get a free ice cream.
And new for this season co-owners Michelle and Jeremy Purington have added a mining sluice and Amato’s food truck.
The mining sluice overlooks the 18-hole Maine-themed course. After buying a bag of sand, children can sift it in the running water of the sluice to discover gems. Michelle Purington said she has memories of her children finding gems at various adventure parks and thought it would be a good addition, especially if people have to wait in line to golf.
“We had a huge turn out last year, we were so full,” Michelle Purington said. “This felt like a nice easy add-on, to do the mining while they are waiting and to have the Amato’s (food truck).”
The park is one of an estimated 900 indoor and outdoor mini-golf courses across the country according to golf.com. Moose Mountain Adventure Park is one of the few parks in central Maine and is located just off the Richmond interchange on Interstate 295.
Darryl Sterling, economic development director for Richmond, anticipates more people will visit the adventure park this year. He declined to disclose the number of people who played mini golf at the park last summer, but noted the adventure park attracted visitors from across Maine and from as far away as Oklahoma.
Sterling said the park allows visitors to explore what else Richmond has to offer, like Swan Island, or eat at the restaurants in town.
This summer, all 18 employees will return plus seven additional employees, for a total of 25 staffers.
“Their staff and employees are mostly from Richmond and the surrounding communities, so they have a part in the workforce and that’s really good news,” said Sterling. “They’re also a member of the Maine Tourism Association so their rack cards will be at all of the information centers promoting Richmond and the region.”
The couple bought the 10 acres of land at 663 Main St. thinking it would be a spot for Purington Construction, but when Jeremy Purington saw the rocky terrain, he thought he would pursue his dream of having a mini-golf adventure park — a dream he had for nearly 10 years after vacationing in Florida with his family.
The couple lives in Richmond with their two sons, Ben, 11 and Charlie, 14, who each designed a hole on the course.
“I always thought (mini golf) was fun. Who doesn’t enjoy it?” Jeremy Purington said. “People play it when they are looking for something fun.”
When the Puringtons opened the adventure park, the couple knew it would be successful, but they did not expect people to travel far and wide to play their course.
Jeremy, left, and Michelle Purington look out from the bear cave at Moose Mountain Adventure Park in Richmond, the destination mini-golf course they developed and opened last year. The metal bear sculpture is one of the new additions to the course when it opens Saturday for its second season. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
“I joked that at times, it was like we were at Disney World, where if you wait from this point, it will be a 45-minute wait, or from here, a 30-minute wait,” Michelle Purington said about the crowds the adventure park experienced on a typical summer weekend.
To accommodate the success and more visitors, the Puringtons started construction on an additional 18-hole mini-golf course that is set to open next summer.
Jeremy Purington has big plans for the remaining nine acres of land at the adventure park, such as the potential to have tiny house cabins as lodging space, but is starting with he construction for the additional 18 holes.
Construction on the additional course has already started, but will pause during the summer season so players are not disrupted by the construction.
The additional course will give players a choice between the two 18-hole mini-golf courses, but also serve as a way to accommodate large groups. Michelle Purington said Mondays and Tuesdays through the summer are reserved for large groups, like summer camps and that they are nearly booked for the season already.
The adventure park has a large covered sitting area above the course called the Treehouse, where the large groups can eat Amato’s pizza and watch the players below.
“When you hear the cheers and laughter from the Treehouse, you know they are having a good time,” said Jeremy Purington.
Moose Mountain Adventure Park will open Saturday at 11 a.m. for the season. After the first weekend, the park will be open Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays until June when the hours expand. Visitors are advised to check the website for the updated schedule.
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