RANGELEY — The 33rd annual Rangeley Logging Festival events begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at Lakeside Theater when Cat Productions presents “A Mountain Home Companion,” loosely based on the famed NPR radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion.”

All proceeds from the show will benefit the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum. Tickets are on sale at the museum or online at rlrlm.org.

The traditional Logging Festival takes place Friday and Saturday at the Logging Museum grounds on Route 16.

“Horse Logging in Downeast Maine in the ’60s” with Bob Giles takes place at 3 p.m. Friday, July 26. Giles provides the historical and educational background of how horses were used in logging operations, along with a bit of humor.

Starting at 4 p.m., the bean-hole beans are buried and Bakewell Cream biscuits will be baked in reflector ovens in preparation for Saturday’s lunch. Free biscuits and butter will be served to those in attendance.

Later Friday evening is the Little Miss and Mister Wood Chip Contest and the induction ceremony for the Loggers Hall of Fame at the Episcopal Church. Program starts at 7 p.m. and features musical entertainment by Silas and Nolan Rogers of Wilton. To register your children for the Little Miss and Mister Wood Chip Contest, contact Liz 864-2426 or Nini 864-2213.

The 33rd annual Logging Parade is held on Saturday in Rangeley. There’s still time to sign up to walk or ride your float through town in the biggest parade in Franklin County. This year’s parade theme is “Be True to Your Red, White & Blue.”

Parade lineup begins at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Rangeley Inn. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and goes through to Loon Lake Road.

Businesses and organizations are welcome to enter the parade. Walkers are also welcome.

The categories for the parade are:

Priority Category: Logging industry. Prizes will be awarded for the best-loaded truck and the entry most relevant to logging.

Category Two: “Be True to Your Red, White & Blue.” 

Category Three: Antique cars and motorcycles. As it was last year, this category is in memory of Odie Batchelder. For information on this category, call Little Odie 415-6776.

Category Four: Tractors, 4- and 3-wheelers, bikes, skateboards, etc.

Category Five: Airplanes and other devices. For information on this category, call Keith Deschambeault at 252-6630.

Contact parade coordinator Linda Sikes at 491-6566 with any questions.

After the parade, shuttle buses will take people to the museum grounds to enjoy the festivities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A bean-hole bean dinner starts at noon and runs until 2 p.m., featuring live music by Silas and Nolan Rogers. There will also be museum displays, crafters and artists, vendors, children’s games, woodland trails, equipment displays and chainsaw carving demos.

The Woodsmen’s Competition includes a full contingent of women competitors, sponsored by our friends at Stihl. Registration for Woodsmen’s Competition can be done the day of the festival. And, of course, the Great Maine Lumberjack Show returns with its log rolling tank.

Shuttles will be available from town (at Route 16/Pleasant Street and Main Street) to the Logging Museum, so keep your parking place in town — ride the shuttle to the festival. For complete festival information, please visit rlrlm.org.

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