Regardless of a top-level leadership shift at the Westbrook/Gorham Community Chamber, the Gorham Founders Festival it sponsors remains good to go this year with new fall dates.

Darryl Wright of Gorham has temporarily taken the reins of the chamber. The American Journal last week that the organization’s president and vice president had stepped down.

“I volunteered to step in for continuity in the interim to make sure things go along,” Wright said Tuesday.

Wright said that the shift in the chamber’s chain of command would not impact Gorham’s fifth annual festival.

“Tabitha Swanson is heading it up and continues to do so,” Wright said.

The Gorham Founders Festival is set for Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, with a full slate of activities, including a concert by the popular band, Motor Booty Affair.

Wright, vice chairman of the Gorham School Committee, said Suzie Phillips, also a Gorham School Committee member, is assisting Swanson, a chamber board member, in organizing the festival.

“Suzie is co-chair,” Wright announced.

Two chamber officials recently vacated key positions. Dennis Dalton has stepped down as chamber president, and James Tranchemontange as vice president. Wright, a former chamber president, said the chamber would replace the two officials in an election set for Wednesday, Oct. 14, just two days before the founders festival opens.

This year, the festival has a new look. Its dates have been switched from July and it has a different location. The festival previously had been held at the Narragansett Elementary School, but this year’s events are in the heart of Gorham Village.

The new format wipes out amusement rides. Swanson said recently Gorham wanted the festival to be more about the community.

The shift in dates alleviates competition from summer fairs in other communities and comes during the school year.

“We wanted it to be when most of the community is around,” Swanson said.

Phillips announced in an email that the festival kicks off with an opening reception honoring the Irish family, which was instrumental in founding the town. The reception with a live auction, food, cash bar and music is set for 6-10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, at Spire 29, 29 School St.

The reception is open to the public with no cover charge but organizers are asking for RSVPs. Bruce Roullard, vice chairman of the Gorham Town Council, will speak, and Gorham Arts Alliance is offering child care at $5 per child during the reception.

The festival continues on Saturday with events, food and plentiful fun at the municipal campus, 75 South St., with free parking at nearby Gorham High School, 41 Morrill Ave. Project Graduation 2016 sponsors a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. in the Shaw Gym at the Gorham Municipal Center to get the festival under way on a full stomach.

Other events include an expanded farmers market at 8 a.m.; Gorham Co-op Preschool 5K race at Robie Park, 8:30 a.m.; art display, community and vendor booths open in Shaw Gym, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; historical society display in Town Council chambers, and middle school art show, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Old Tyme Kids Fun Fair and bounce zone, 3-6 p.m.; bonfire in Robie Park, 5 p.m.; and Motor Booty Affair in Robie Field, 6-8 p.m.

The Baxter Museum on South Street will be open for free tours from 10 a.m-noon. A museum tour is a walk through history. The Baxter Museum, built in 1797, was the family home of a former Maine governor, Percival Baxter, and is filled with artifacts and memorabilia donated by the Baxter family and townspeople.

In two events off the municipal site, 91 South St. is hosting a wine tasting at 2 p.m. and the University of Southern Maine shows the animated movie, “Minions,” at 2 p.m.

The founders festival began in 2011 to observe the town’s 275th anniversary of its founding. In 2013, the town turned over organization of the festival to the chamber. Swanson said the festival this year is not really a fair.

“We tried hard to make it more community focused,” Swanson said.

Duane Dreger serves as auctioneer at the 2014 Gorham Founders Festival. The auction this year will be at the festival reception honoring the Irish family, from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, at Spire 29 on School Street. File photo