RUMFORD – If consuming large quantities of ice cream, pickles, lemons or watermelons are passions, or if listening to a huge variety of music while checking out new and old cars and motorcycles strike your fancy, then the Moontide Water Festival is the place to be starting at 9 a.m. Saturday and ending with a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. Monday.
This year’s festival includes dozens of activities and contests, along with performances by a dozen musical groups, a concert by the 195th Army Band, a military and veterans parade, a craft show, flea market and many other events, and lots of food ranging from the traditional hot dogs, sausages and fries, to homemade apple crisp and baked stuffed potatoes.
On Monday, the special pre-fireworks program focuses on honoring the military at 7 p.m. with a parade, including a vehicle from the National Guard’s 133rd Engineer Company, the Army Band concert, a medley of patriotic songs featuring local singers and musicians, and a dedication.
The festival is meant to be more family-friendly than past celebrations, said Joseph Roberts, president of the Moontide Water Festival Committee.
The 12-member committee has been working hard and long, raising money and coming up with new ideas, said Roberts, including the fastest lemon-eating contest, open to everyone, that takes place at 11 a.m. Sunday at Memorial Green.
“We’ve got really creative people on the committee,” said Roberts, who has organized subcommittees and found volunteers to help out.
The lemon-eating contest is preceded by an equally puckery competition, the sour-pickle-eating contest at 10 a.m.
Also new this year is a doll show for anyone of any age to bring their favorite doll to Congress Street at 8 a.m. Monday.
For the first time, the motorcycle show is being sponsored by the Maine Bikers Association. It takes place all day on Monday on Canal Street, while the car show goes on at the same time on Exchange Street. For the first time, children are encouraged to bring their matchbox cars for a show to coincide with the full-size vehicles.
ATVs and snowmobiles, both old and new, have their chance to show off all morning on Sunday on River Street.
Saturday kicks off with a 5K, 10K and fun walk at 9 a.m. at Hosmer Field. Other events on Saturday include a remote-control car race at 4 p.m. at the information center parking lot, a shop-till-you-drop scavenger hunt at 5 p.m., and music by the E & I Band and storytelling by Joe Sirois at 6 p.m.
The length of Congress Street will be closed on Sunday and Monday when most events take place.
A complete schedule of events will be posted around town during the three-day Moontide celebration.
If rain prevents fireworks on Monday night, they will be held on Tuesday. All other events will go on as scheduled.
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