FARMINGTON — The earmuffs are out and a good weather forecast for Saturday has provided high expectations for a festive 33rd annual Chester Greenwood Day celebration.

A full day of activities, including a parade, shopping, craft fairs, music and Festival of Trees is planned.  

Winter Wonderland is the theme for the annual parade, which begins at 11 a.m. and travels through downtown. A flag-raising follows at noon at the courthouse.

Gingerbread houses also based on the theme Winter Wonderland can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bangor Savings Bank. Along with the gingerbread contest, the bank is also the site of the chili contest held from 12:30 to 1 p.m.

A Chester Greenwood birthday cake will be served after the chili contest.

The Farmington Rotary Club will hold its annual Festival of Trees starting at 9 a.m. at the Granary. An auction for the trees begins at 6 p.m.

There may be no ice on it, but Clearwater Lake will definitely be chilly when Polar Bear Club members take their annual dip at 3 p.m.

Other activities are listed on the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Web site at www.franklincountymaine.org.

The chamber is looking for some help with its annual holiday gift basket program.

The program exceeded last year’s goal providing two weeks of food for
73 Franklin County families. Donations for this year’s goal of 100
needy families are down, said Lorna Nichols, executive director of the
chamber. Less than $2,000 of the needed $5,500 to help with the baskets
has been collected so far, she said.

The chamber will hold an all-day food drive Saturday during the
festivities. Monetary donations are helpful, providing Nichols a better
chance to negotiate pricing on items for the baskets. These will be
accepted along with donations of nonperishable food items. Boxes will
be set up in the lobby of Bangor Savings Bank on Main Street, she said.

A list of items needed for the baskets may be found at www.franklincountymaine.org/chamber/07food. Click on 2009 Flyer.

Other sites to drop off items from the list are KeyBank in Wilton,
the chamber office, Camden National Bank in Farmington, CSM Real
Estate or Franklin Somerset Credit Union in Kingfield.

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