WILTON — Several new events will take place during the 34th Annual Wilton Blueberry Festival.

The festival started Friday with a bake sale at Main Street Garage to raise money for new flags as part of the Flags on Main Street project overseen by Wilton Day Extension.

On Saturday, there will be a blood drive at the Academy Hill gymnasium from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., sponsored by the Farmington Emblem Club No. 460. It takes about an hour to give blood.

Emblem member Shannon Smith said walk-ins will be accepted. To schedule a specific time, call Smith at 778-4726.

Betty Shibles is organizing a boat parade for Saturday evening prior to the fireworks. The “sports” theme means decorating a boat can be as easy as carrying a soccer ball or simply driving the boat, she said. 

Lineup will be at 7:45 p.m. in front of the Colley/Shibles Camp, the red camp on the point across from the Island. The boat parade will start down one side of the lake about 8 p.m. and return in time to dock or have boats in place for the fireworks.

Participants must have registration and insurance information on board listing liability coverage. Each person riding on the boat must have the appropriate size life jacket or vest.

For more information or to join the parade, contact Shibles by emailing ecshibles@earthink.net or calling 207-491-2632.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, the traditional ecumenical service will be held at the First Congregational Church, UCC, on Main Street. Church members and pastors from Wilton Ecumenical Community Outreach take part to celebrate the conclusion of the festival.

At 2 p.m., there will be a rededication service for the newly refurbished pipe organ at the Congregational Church. Learn the history of the organ and what the various organ stops can do. A WECO choir will take part. Previous organist Jim Armstrong will give a recital. Recent church organists will also perform. Light refreshments will be served after the service.

The pipe organ at the First Congregational Church, UCC, was purchased in 1920 with additional stops added in 1946. Nineteen large pipes are visible in the church sanctuary but there are hundreds more behind them. Most of the pipes are made of metal but some are wooden. There is a separate pipe for each key on the keyboard.

In preparation of the church’s bicentennial in 2018, the organ was given a major overhaul. In January, 350 individual pneumatic components were removed from the organ to replace the leathers. In July, the pipes themselves were removed and cleaned.

The work cost about $47,000. Donations will be accepted at the re-dedication service to help with those costs. 

For more information call the First Congregational Church, UCC, 645-2535.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net