RUMFORD — Black Mountain of Maine and the Greater Rumford Community Center are teaming up to host the first Chop, Drop and Roll logging festival on Saturday, June 14, at Black Mountain.

Resident and volunteer Diane Mitchell said that this is the first time that either of the organizations have teamed up for a fundraiser.

“They’re going to split the profits 50-50 at the end of the day,” Mitchell said. “Both organizations have been working really hard to prepare for this.”

Mitchell said there are currently 40 competitors scheduled to participate in the logging festival, with the potential for more.

“The GRCC board reached out to Jerry Gingras, a woodsman competitor from Errol, New Hampshire, who has six world titles to his name,” Mitchell said. “He told us, ‘Let me line up some competitors for you guys.’

“We were expecting to have around 10 competitors for the festival, but he came back to us and said, ‘I’ve got at least 40 people for you, and potentially more,’” Mitchell said. “A lot of the people on the board were pretty surprised. I think they were expecting a smaller event, and when he said he had 40 people, it suddenly became very serious.”

The loggers competing at the festival come from different cities along the East Coast and Canada, Mitchell said.

“Some of the competitors even hold world records for logging events,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell lauded GRCC member Andrea York for “being the lead person on this.”

“She’s been working on organizing the festival and finding funding for it,” Mitchell said. “She’s done an amazing job so far.”

The entrance fee for the festival is $5, free for children under the age of 4.

The day will start at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast before the competition begins, followed by a 5k race at 9 a.m.

Mitchell said that the competitions will last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those attending will have the chance to watch professional loggers compete in several events, including the ax throw, the two-man crosscut, the Jack and Jill crosscut, the underhand chop, modified chain saw, open chain saw and springboard.

Spectators will have the opportunity to participate in their own games, including a paintball shoot, a pulp throw, a skillet toss, wood splitting, tug of war, relay races and a variety of kids games.

“We’re trying to get the National Guard and the cast of the ‘North Woods Law’ television show to attend,” Mitchell said. “Right now, it’s dependent on whether or not they have emergencies to deal with on the day of the festival.”

Following the professional and spectator games from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Bill Scott Band will perform from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by the band Stereotype from 7 to 10 p.m.

If the logging festival goes well, Mitchell said that both Black Mountain and the GRCC would consider making it an annual event.

For more information, call or text York at 207-357-5606.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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