Some summer events are entertaining. Others become part of the memories families carry with them for years. Wishes in the Meadow has become that kind of event for many local families.
Kids catching frogs as music drifts through the gardens. Parents sitting in lawn chairs while children run barefoot through the grass. Friends gathering around picnic tables as the sun starts to set over the meadow. Families staying later than they planned because nobody really wants the evening to end.
But behind all of those moments is something much bigger.
On Saturday, June 27, 2026, Wishes in the Meadow returns to Saco River Meadows from 3–9pm for its third year supporting Make-A-Wish Maine and helping grant wishes for Maine children facing critical illnesses.
This family-friendly fundraiser blends live music, food, outdoor play, raffles, games, and community connection into one unforgettable summer evening — all while helping create life-changing moments for children and families who need them most.
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Why This Event Exists
For the Gowell Family, this event has always been about more than simply hosting a fundraiser.
Their family understands firsthand how deeply a critical illness impacts not just one person, but an entire family. The emotional toll, uncertainty, stress, and constant adjustment can affect every part of life — especially for children.
That personal understanding is what inspired the family to create Wishes in the Meadow.
What began as an idea to bring people together for a meaningful cause has now grown into a major annual community fundraiser powered by volunteers, sponsors, local businesses, musicians, donors, and families who continue showing up year after year to support Maine children.
And the impact has already been significant.
In the first two years, Wishes in the Meadow raised $67,500 to continue helping make wishes come true for Maine children facing critical illnesses.
Those wishes can mean travel, experiences, celebrations, dream bedrooms, adaptive equipment, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and moments of joy families desperately need during incredibly difficult seasons.
For many wish families, those experiences become some of the brightest moments in otherwise overwhelming chapters of life.
Why This Event Feels Different
There are plenty of fundraising events that feel formal or adult-centered.
Wishes in the Meadow was intentionally created to feel welcoming for families.
Children under 12 receive free admission, and much of the event is designed around the idea that kids should be able to fully enjoy the evening too.
Held at the stunning Saco River Meadows property in Buxton, the event gives families space to spread out, explore, play, and simply enjoy being together outside on a summer evening.
Throughout the event, families can expect:
🎶 Live music in a spectacular outdoor garden setting
🐸 Frog catching and nature exploration
🌳 Treehouse tours
🐐 A petting zoo for kids to visit
⚾ A visit from Slugger the Sea Dog
🏃 Lawn games and open spaces for kids to run and play
🍔 Local food and drinks
🎟️ Large raffles and silent auction prizes
☀️ A relaxed summer atmosphere designed for families
Wish alumni and their families are also invited to attend, creating meaningful reminders throughout the evening of the real children and families this event continues to support.
A Few Event Traditions Families Look Forward To
Some parts of Wishes in the Meadow have quickly become annual traditions.
One of the biggest crowd favorites is the rubber duck race, where families purchase numbered ducks and gather along the water cheering them on as they race downstream for prizes.
Additional fundraising activities throughout the evening include:
⛳ Chip and put challenges
🥏 Disc golf activities
🎯 Additional family-friendly games and contests throughout the property
And for many attendees, the raffle and silent auction area becomes its own destination during the evening.
Local businesses and community members continue donating incredible prizes, gift baskets, experiences, services, and items to help support the fundraiser.
The event is still accepting:
- Business sponsorships
- Raffle prize donations
- Silent auction donations
Why This Event Matters to Lake Region Kids Calendar
This event is also deeply personal to me.
Wishes in the Meadow is hosted by my parents, and I’ve had the chance to watch this event grow from an idea into something that now brings together hundreds of people each summer to support Maine children and families.
As someone who spends so much of my time through Lake Region Kids Calendar helping families discover ways to create memories together, this event feels especially meaningful because it combines everything I care about most:
- family connection
- community
- childhood joy
- outdoor experiences
- and helping local families through difficult seasons
It’s one thing to tell families to get outside and make memories together.
It’s another thing to watch a community come together to help create those moments for children whose families are facing unimaginable challenges.
That’s why sharing this event matters so much to me personally.
Come for the Fun. Stay for the Mission.
Wishes in the Meadow is the kind of evening that reminds you what community can look like.
Kids staying up past bedtime catching frogs and running through the grass.
Parents slowing down long enough to actually enjoy a summer evening together.
Local businesses stepping up to support children they may never meet.
Families gathering not just for entertainment, but for something meaningful.
And somewhere in all of that — between the music, lawn games, treehouse tours, raffles, food, laughter, and late summer light — real wishes for Maine children are being funded.
If you’ve been thinking about attending, now is the time to grab tickets and invite friends to join you.
Events like this only succeed because communities decide they matter.
Event Details
Wishes in the Meadow 2026
📍 Saco River Meadows (301 River Rd, Buxton, ME)
📅 Saturday, June 27, 2026
⏰ 3–9pm
🎟️ Adult Admission: $45
👧 Children Under 12: Free
Tickets, Donations & More Information
🎟️ Purchase Tickets Here
💙 Learn More About Make-A-Wish Maine
🌿 Visit the Official Wishes in the Meadow Website
🎁 Can’t Attend? Make a Donation Instead
Plan to Be There
Events like this don’t happen because one family organizes them.
They happen because a community chooses to show up.
Every ticket purchased, raffle item donated, sponsorship shared, and family that attends helps create real moments of hope for Maine children facing critical illnesses through Make-A-Wish Maine.
And at the same time, it creates something meaningful for the families attending too — an evening outside together, kids running freely through the meadow, music playing in the background, and the kind of summer memories that tend to stick long after the season ends.
If you’d like to support this event, now is the time to purchase tickets, invite friends, and help spread the word throughout the community.
👉 Purchase Tickets Here
👉 Learn More About Wishes in the Meadow
👉 Can’t Attend? Make a Donation Instead
And if you’d like to discover more family-friendly events, outdoor adventures, seasonal activities, and meaningful local experiences around the Sebago Lake region, there are a few easy ways to stay connected:
👉 Subscribe to the Lake Region Kids Calendar newsletter for weekly updates delivered every Thursday morning
👉 Browse the Events Calendar to plan upcoming family adventures
👉 Explore the Local Business Directory to support family-friendly local businesses throughout the region
These are the tools designed to help families spend less time searching — and more time making memories together.
Read More:
- Stroller Friendly Trails Near Sebago Lake
- Playgrounds in Windham, ME
- What To Do With Kids In the Sebago Lake Region This Month
- Trails in Windham, ME
- Storywalk Trails Near Sebago Lake
This featured event post was created in support of Wishes in the Meadow 2026 and the ongoing work of Make-A-Wish Maine.
If you’re part of a local business, camp, or organization interested in partnering with Lake Region Kids Calendar through a featured event, sponsored guide, spotlight post, or newsletter promotion, you can learn more here:
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