By Will Tuell

Since its humble beginnings in the East Machias Municipal Building years ago, Wesley’s Tree Festival has been a big hit with local businesses, community organizations, and the public at large, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Downeast youth activities and paving the way for the foundation which started it in honor of four-year-old Wesley Keeton who lost his life in an ATV accident over a decade ago to purchase the fairgrounds across the way from Down East Community Hospital with visions of developing a multi-purpose youth rec center.