On June 9, Kennebunkport voters will be asked to what degree they want their tax dollars to support Prelude, the two-week pre-Christmas event sponsored by the Kennebunkport Business Association (KBA).
The Kennebunkport Select Board made it clear in public meetings this spring that, regardless of the outcome of the vote, the town will continue to provide safety-related municipal services such as crowd control, security, and emergency medical support at Prelude. The question to the voters is whether the town should be reimbursed by KBA for none, some or all of these services.
The vote is non-binding but will help the select board understand residents’ level of interest in providing financial support to the festival. It’s the first step in resolving a dilemma that arose during an examination of police overtime costs during the 2026 budget process, spotlighting the amount of overtime required during Prelude’s two weekend events. The situation was exacerbated when a 1986 Mass Gathering ordinance prohibiting any financial support for commercial events came to light. The ordinance specifically named “Winter Prelude” as a commercial event. This means an ordinance amendment would be required for the town to continue financial support for Prelude.
“Certain kinds of ordinances are required to go to voters,” explained Jon Dykstra, chair of the select board. “This ordinance is one of those, and it requires some thinking. We thought we should hear from residents first.”
The ballot will ask voters to choose one of the three options below:
- All municipal costs associated with 2026 Winter Prelude shall be paid in full by the event organizers, with no expenditure of municipal funds
- Up to $17,500 of municipal costs associated with the first weekend of 2026 Winter Prelude shall be paid from municipal funds, with the balance of municipal costs to be paid by the event organizers
- Up to $35,000 of municipal costs associated with the entire 2026 Winter Prelude event shall be paid from municipal funds, with the balance of municipal costs to be paid by the event organizers
The pros and cons of Prelude’s impact on the community have been the focus of several public meetings this spring. Multiple business owners articulated the importance of Prelude to their bottom line but also to the community. However, according to select board members, significant numbers of residents have contacted them, voicing their frustration that Prelude is no longer a community event and has gotten too big for a small town like Kennebunkport.
This is an unusually public airing of tensions between year-round residents and those who benefit financially from Kennebunkport’s international reputation as a premier destination.
The select board’s focus at this point is financial. “The more tourists we have, the more infrastructure we need to support them. Very little revenue comes back to the town from tourism as Kennebunkport has a relatively high property evaluation and a small number of residents,” Dykstra said, referring to Maine’s municipal revenue sharing program. David Bancroft, select board member, agreed, pointing out that tourism is effective for bringing in state revenues but provides minimal income for municipalities like Kennebunkport. “This town has an international tourism reputation, and we have to be prepared to address those costs in some way,” he added.
Tina Hewett-Gordon, general manager of The Nonantum Resort, is president of the KBA, a volunteer organization with 127 member businesses. The KBA represents the business community in the Port, Lower Village and Cape Porpoise, and has sponsored Prelude since 1982. Few people question that Prelude has grown to be a financial boon for KBA members. But Gordon believes strongly that local businesses are very supportive of the larger community, and that Prelude in turn brings many benefits. “The businesses support sports teams, and pay property taxes,” she said, “and there is a huge ripple effect throughout the year, jobs, vendors, local contractors. KBA spent $114,000 last year on Prelude: the tree, the decorations, the permits. “Local nonprofits made $272,000 last year on Prelude-related events, with the Consolidated School PTA alone making $11,000 at Arundel Wharf.” The town splits municipal parking revenues 50-50 with nonprofits during Prelude (and other holidays); these and other Prelude revenues can be significant for participating organizations.
When asked what she would say to a resident who feels Prelude is not accessible to locals, Gordon said, “People can pick and choose the events; there are lots of events during the week that are available. I’ve heard from nonprofits that the first weekend they see a lot of locals.” She said she would ask residents to be tolerant, because as a community, “We support each other. This has become about money and it shouldn’t be.” She added that their board is looking at various ways that Prelude could be made more accessible to residents, possibly opening reservations and shops earlier, or providing resident-only parking.
Dykstra said that he is not going to speculate on election results but the select board will be prepared to act based on voters’ preferences. Bancroft noted that if indicated, an amended ordinance would get to the voters, “in the fall at the earliest.”
The result of the Kennebunkport vote on Prelude will be available via The Local News after polls close on June 9th.
