GREENWOOD — After nearly two years of work, the Greenwood Bicentennial Committee is putting the finishing touches on plans for the town’s 200th birthday party, scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The celebration kicks off Friday evening with a fish fry at the Locke Mills Fire Station, followed by a historical slideshow at the Town Hall. Photographs from the Greenwood Historical Society’s collection will highlight two centuries of local history.

On Saturday, the day begins with a pancake breakfast at the Locke Mills Union Church. The information booth at the Town Hall opens at 9 a.m. selling raffle tickets and chances for Cow Chip bingo, bicentennial T-shirts, and other commemorative items.

Throughout the day, the Town Hall will also host rug-hooking demonstrations, art and mineral shows, and a silent auction featuring antique painted school desks and other works by local artists.

Across the street, both of the Greenwood Historical Society’s houses will be open to the public all day. At 10 a.m., there will be a book launch and signing for Addison Verrill’s “Greenwood,” edited by Herbert Adams and Larry Glatz and published collaboratively by the Greenwood and Bethel historical societies.

The parade, which begins at 11 a.m., will take place on Howe Hill Road. It will proceed from the staging area at Mt. Abram past the ball field at Dunham Park and conclude at the Locke Mills Fire Station.

Spectators may line up anywhere along the approximately one-mile route to view the parade, which will feature floats, firetrucks, antique vehicles, uniformed marchers, historical re-enactors, the Kora Shrine Funsters and three bands, including one playing music from the Civil War era.

There will be opening remarks and announcements at the Town Hall at noon, and highlights of the afternoon include concerts at the church and Town Hall, a book-signing of “Ghost Buck” by local author Dean Bennett, a Civil War muster at the Legion Hall, children’s activities and a State Police K-9 Unit demonstration at Dunham Park.

The Greenwood Historical Society will host a reunion from 1 to 4 p.m. for Locke Mills School alumni, family and friends.

Cow Chip bingo takes place at Dunham Park at 3 p.m. and a chicken barbecue at the Legion Hall runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Winners of the silent auction will be announced at 5 p.m.

A dance at Mt. Abram from 7 to 11 p.m. will feature music from the Shadagee Ramblers, and the fireworks display will take place at 9 p.m.

Sunday’s events include an old-fashioned service at Locke Mills Union Church at 9 a.m. and an open house at the Greenwood Historical Society all day.

Local businesses celebrate

Local businesses have enthusiastically joined in to help the town observe its birthday by purchasing ad space in the keepsake bicentennial program, creating floats for the parade, and helping to generate excitement about the celebration.

Maine Line Products created a display showing the history of the site of its store, from its early days as a small gas station with a service bay for car repairs, through its decades as Hathaway’s Country Store to the present day.

The crew at Maine Line Products will serve free hot fudge sundaes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 13, as well as free tastes of the official bicentennial fudge flavor, blueberry cheesecake, which will be for sale at the store.

Mountain Mowing & More, located in the same building, will sell popcorn, drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs and all the fixings in the parking lot that day.

At The Local Hub, an exhibit of captioned photographs provided by the Greenwood Historical Society documents the history of the village of Locke Mills.

“People are really enjoying seeing them,” said co-owner Dara Turgeon, who said she was looking forward to helping the town celebrate its 200th birthday.

The Hub will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the weekend of the celebration. It will offer its full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner items, daily specials and freshly made baked goods.

Northern Roots Grow Supply will be open all weekend, and co-owner Janet Bartlett is coordinating local craft and produce vendors for a farmers’ market on Main Street.

A complete schedule of events can be found at www.greenwoodmaine.org/bicentennial-celebration/.

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