Try your luck in the Gifford’s Ice Cream Eating Contest on Saturday, September 3rd at the 10th Rangeley Trail Town Festival, 10am-4pm, Pond Street. Free games, activities, storytelling, and music for all.
What are some of the best hikes near Rangeley? What’s it like to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT)? How can you best manage a long-distance hike? Learn this and more from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts at the 10th Rangeley Trail Town Festival on Saturday September 3rd from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Music, storytelling, games, and more—all free at Haley Pond Park on Pond Street, near Ecopelagicon.
All morning, see Rangeley Rescue’s equipment display; and, at 11:00, watch them show how they rescue hikers using ropes and more. At 11:45, see actress Anne Van Curen transform into Emma “Grandma” Gatewood to tell stories about what it was like to be the first woman to solo hike the Appalachian Trail in 1955.
At 12:30 p.m., join Maine singer-songwriter and guitarist Denny Breau for several hours of country, Delta blues, folk, and jazz. And, at 3:00 p.m., see how fast you can eat a pint of Gifford’s “Muddy Boots” in the Ice Cream Eating Contest, a favorite event of the festival ($2 kids, $3 adults, free to Appalachian Trail hikers).
All day, come and play boot toss, corn hole, and more. Make your own survival bracelet; and, with beads, make a necklace that represents all 14 AT states. Bring a rock you’ve wondered about and let Rock Doc John Slack tell you about it; ask him about Maine minerals and green technology. Maine outdoors organizations such as Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, High Peaks Alliance, Maine Appalachian Trail Club, and Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust will share first-hand information about how to hike safely and how to care for local woods and trails. Artists and crafters whose work highlights the outdoors will line Pond Street. Talk with Rodney Richard, Jr., traditional wood carver from Rangeley and Pownal, who will demonstrate jackknife and chain saw carving. Enter the raffle to win outdoor equipment. Food will be available on site, and nearby restaurants will be open, as well.
Rangeley is one of only 35 towns along the 2,180-mile AT to be named an official “Appalachian Trail Community.” The town received this honor from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to honor Rangeley as a community that actively protects all of its natural, cultural, and recreational resources, including the AT, which runs from Georgia to Mt. Katahdin. For more information on the Rangeley Trail Town Festival, call Linda at 207-205-9043; join us on facebook; and visit our website: http://rangeleytrailtown.com
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