FARMINGTON — The 36th Chester Greenwood Day celebration Saturday will feature a parade, a Polar Bear Club dip in Clearwater Lake and a new one-mile fun run along Front Street.
The Mt. Blue High School football team, recent state champions, are planning a special entry in the 11 a.m. parade. The team will showcase their recently won gold ball trophy.
The parade forms at 10 a.m. at Mallett School and at 11 a.m. proceeds down High Street to South Street and up Main Street, Marc Relford, interim director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, said. The parade theme is Santa’s Little Helpers.
A fun run recreates a portion of Greenwood’s daily travel along Front Street to his former earmuff factory, the former Crop Paper Scissors store, he said. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. and the run starts at 10 a.m. down Front Street and back.
Also new this year is an opportunity for shoppers to have a holiday passport validated at 16 participating shops and submit it for a raffle of prizes donated by the businesses, he said.
The passports are available at the chamber, Bangor Savings Bank and several stores. The shopper needs to visit each business between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. and have the store validate the passport, he said.
Another new venture involves the whole county. Businesses can participate in a holiday window decorating contest. The winning business is chosen Dec. 8.
Ballots are available for people to choose their favorites, he said. Businesses around the county can submit photos for viewing online and voting. A link is available from the chamber’s website, www.franklincountymaine.org
The chamber has planned for plenty of entertainment Saturday, including In-Clog-Neat-O dancers performing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of Bangor Savings Bank.
The Clefnotes, a University of Maine at Farmington choral group, and Mount Blue Voices, a Mt. Blue High School group, will carol around downtown from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Folksinger Bill Burlinghoff rounds out the day with a performance at 7 p.m. in the Landing of UMF’s Student Center.
The 2nd annual Earmuff Fashion show takes place at 1 p.m. in Meetinghouse Park.
A flag-raising ceremony and parade prize awards take place at the Franklin County Courthouse on Main street at about 12:15 p.m. Across the street in Meetinghouse Park will be the Annual Chamber Chili Challenge from noon to 1 p.m.
Gingerbread house contest entries are on display from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bangor Savings Bank.
Free horse and wagon rides are available around town from noon to 1 p.m. with pickup near Franklin Savings Bank.
Other events around town include an open house at the Octagon House at Perham and High streets, sponsored by the Farmington Historical Society.
The Franklin County Arts and Crafts Association show takes place at the UMF Student Center; the American Legion Post 28 craft fair at the Legion Hall; the Emblem Club No. 460 at the Farmington Elks Club; and a lunch and cookie walk at Henderson Memorial Baptist Church.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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