Don’t be alarmed over the weekend if an upright moose approaches your vehicle on the Maine Turnpike and offers you a magazine.

This morning, Miles the Moose, the Maine Turnpike mascot, will be at the west side entrance of Exit 47 in Portland to hand out advance copies of a special Farmers’ Almanac.

“Every year, we try to think of a creative way to thank our summer visitors and to encourage them to make a return trip during the fall or winter,” said Turnpike Authority Director Paul Violette. “This special edition Farmers’ Almanac really hits the mark.”

More than 700,000 vehicles are expected to travel the Maine Turnpike over the holiday weekend, with today expected to be the busiest day. Highway officials expect 210,000 cars, trucks, motorcycles and campers to roll down the turnpike today as the weekend kicks off.

State and most local police departments are planning stepped-up patrols to watch for drunken drivers or other problem motorists. Drivers were advised to count on occasional traffic snarls along the highway as heavy traffic is expected in northbound lanes today and in southbound lanes on Monday.

Maine Turnpike authorities have made a tradition of handing out mementos to visitors during the Labor Day Weekend. In past years, toll collectors have distributed items such as computer “moosepads,” pennants, calendars and refrigerator magnets.

This year, it will the Miles the Moose with the 2006 Farmers’ Almanac sneak-preview edition. The Farmers’ Almanac has been published for 189 years by Geiger Brothers of Lewiston. The turnpike staff worked with almanac editor Peter Geiger on this special edition, which says, “Thank you for visiting Maine” on the front cover and has Web sites and phone numbers for the Office of Tourism and Turnpike Authority on the back.

“To my knowledge, no other highway in the country makes such an effort,” Violette said. “It’s a great way to show that Maine appreciates visitors and it’s very direct marketing for the state.”