RANGELEY – This weekend, the town will celebrate its 150th birthday and expects several thousand people at the party.
The sesquicentennial has been going on all year, but this weekend will be the focal point, with numerous events and activities all centering around the theme of “Then and Now.”
“Different groups have been planning different events to coincide with this,” said Evelyn McAllister, executive director of the Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Rangeley Sesquicentennial Committee.
The highlight of the weekend is likely to be the parade, which will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. McAllister said it would be “the largest parade in Rangeley history.”
Gov. John Baldacci and U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Tom Allen are expected to be in the parade, along with dozens of local groups and organizations. A military fly-over is also planned.
“There’s a lot of excitement and community anticipation,” McAllister said. “Everybody is looking forward to it.”
Other highlights include a special U.S. postal stamp cancellation for the sesquicentennial, presentations by Baldacci and other dignitaries, and several activities related to the Logging Museum’s Festival Days, which coincide this year with the sesquicentennial celebration.
In addition to the local politicians, 17 descendants of Squire Rangeley, for whom the town is named, are expected to be at the celebration, with four coming from England. The descendants will have a display all afternoon at Lakeside Park.
This year also marks the anniversaries of several local groups. The town’s Logging Museum is in its 25th year of existence, the Chamber of Commerce and the local Rotary Club are both in their 50th year, and the Rangeley Water District and the Sandy River Plantation are each celebrating 100-year anniversaries.
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