An institution in the Twin Cities for two decades appears to have reached the end of the line.
By Mark LaFlamme
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – WCSH6 has announced it will no longer organize and produce the annual Maine State Parade. Instead, station officials say they want to focus their energy on creating another event to replace the march that’s been held each May for 20 years.

The parade has been drawing tens of thousands of people to the Twin Cities annually since 1983.

“The landscape in Lewiston and Auburn has changed dramatically in the last several years,” said Charlene Belanger, community relations director for WCSH6. “There are several new venues such as Courthouse Plaza, Festival Plaza, Fountain Park and Railroad Park that offer exciting new possibilities for event planning.”

The Maine State Parade typically involved more than 100 groups who marched from Lewiston into Auburn. It was a way for school music programs to showcase their talents and nonprofit agencies to raise money. It was a chance for members of groups like the Shriners, the Rotary and the Knights of Columbus to strut their stuff.

When the parade first rolled through the Twin Cities, most of the participants were members of school bands. The program grew over the years to involve dozens of other groups, but the bands remained a staple.

“It was certainly enjoyable for everyone who came and everyone who participated in it,” said Woody Mansur, assistant director of the Edward Little High School Marching Band. “It was always a major event for us.”

Mansur said the absence of the parade next year will be a blow, but the decision to retire the parade will not leave local band members with nothing to do when May rolls around.

“Yeah, we’re kind of bewildered that they’re not going to have it anymore,” Mansur said. “Yes, it’s unfortunate. But there is plenty for a school music program to do. Losing one activity is not a major deal.”

Other groups agreed. While the parade will be missed, the show will go on in one form or another.

“It’s not the only fund-raiser we’re involved in,” said Rotary President Paul LaCombe, who said he just heard of the demise of the parade Thursday. “We’ll just have to find something else. We haven’t had a chance to plan yet.”

In October, a brainstorming meeting was held involving WCSH6 representatives, local business leaders, art executives and government officials. The idea was to create a new public event to replace the parade.

“We expect to announce a partnership soon and immediately begin to plan an event that will likely be held in June,” Belanger said.

As of Thursday, there was no word on what new event might draw people out to the streets when spring returns to the Twin Cities.

“We’re definitely working on an exciting new project,” Belanger said. “Our plans are moving right along. It would just be premature to say too much about it at this point.”

Steve Thaxton, president and general manager of WCSH6, said the new event would “springboard from the experiences learned over 20 years of producing the Maine State Parade.”

mlaflamme@sunjournal.com