RANGELEY – The 31st annual Rangeley Logging Festival and Parade will be held July 29 and 30. This two-day event, sponsored by the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum, has greatly expanded its offerings for this year.

The festivities get started on Friday with two traditional events; the Mr. & Mrs. Wood Chip talent contest for 6- to 8-year-olds and the formal announcement of the Hall of Fame Logger inductees for 2011. This year’s inductees are William ‘Bunk” Spiller and Elijah White Jr. Also the museum-sponsored Logging & Woods Art contest for regional school age students will be judged on Friday afternoon with the winner taking home a $100 cash prize. All the entries will be on display later on Saturday at the museum, which will be open to the public free of charge for the festival.

Also on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. will be the traditional burying of the beans and tasting of the open-fired reflector oven biscuits prepared as was done during the early days in the logging camps throughout the Western Mountains. This event, held at the museum’s grounds, is free. Recipes will be shared.

Of special interest this year will be the appearance of Mason Strunk at 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Church on Main Street. This talented, local 12-year-old has impressed many as a storyteller, singer and guitar player. Al Scheeren will provide guitar accompaniment. The entire Friday evening’s program has a gate fee of $3.

The parade will take place Saturday. Those interested in participating in the parade should call Linda Sikes, the parade coordinator, at 491-6566.

The Festival begins at the conclusion of the parade and will be on the museum’s grounds at 221 Stratton Road (Route 16). Entry for all the events for nonmembers is $3 but the museum itself will be free that day. Parking is limited along Stratton Road; there will be a shuttle bus running from the Rangeley Town parking lot.

There will be free barrel train rides, games and activities for children. The Annual Woodsmen’s Competition begins at 12:30, the Rob Roy four-piece folk music group will play during the lunch hour and into the afternoon, and a larger craft show featuring local artisans and vendors continues throughout the day. At the festival there will be bean dinners, hot dogs, biscuits and assorted drinks, cookies and other treats. The cost is $8 for adults and $5 for under 8 years old.

Anyone can participate in the woodsmen’s contest by calling Butch Richard at 688-2249.

For more information contact Linda Sikes at 491-6566 for parade information or Ron Haines at 864-3939 for all other inquiries about the festival.