WILTON — Birdie Googins, aka the Marden’s lady, and singer Debbie Myers highlight Friday night’s entertainment at the 29th annual Wilton Blueberry Festival.

It promises to be a great show, Shannon Smith, festival organizer, said.

Doors to Academy Hill School cafeteria will open at 6 p.m. Aug. 5 prior to Googins’ appearance at 7:15 p.m.  She is followed by Maine county music vocalist Myers, along with Tommy Thompson.

The show is free, Smith said. She explained that she spent $40 for a Googins performance twice while deciding whether to invite her to the festival. She said she anticipates a full house for the show.

For 29 years, the festival has brought a variety of entertainment, crafters, fireworks and one very large parade to town over the first weekend in August. For the first time in several years, entertainment and crafters have moved to the school site from Western Maine Expo.

Wilton Free Public Library’s weekend book sale and the parade lineup are the only events held at the Weld Street expo site this year.

Throughout the day Friday, local performers are scheduled to appear in the school’s gymnasium while crafters are set up both inside and outside the school, she said.

The East Dixfield Fire Department will join the Wilton Fire Department for free rides on their new firetruck from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday.

Runners and walkers can still register for the annual Kids 1 Mile Road Race and 10K Run or Walk prior to the start of the race at 6 p.m. Friday at Kineowatha Park.

More than 100 entries have signed up for Saturday’s 9 a.m. parade and that number doesn’t count firetrucks, she said. The theme this year is Four Seasons.

The parade will line up from 7 to 8:30 a.m.  The streets close at 8:30 a.m. About 10 Shriner units have signed on again this year but just wait till next year, the 30th anniversary of the festival, she said. That number will jump to about 25 units for the special anniversary date.

A Veterans Mobile Van will set up at Main Street Garage at Main and Weld streets. The van provides information for veterans. The Thomaston Place auction gallery will appraise items from noon to 4 p.m. Friday. The gallery’s mobile unit will be parked near KeyBank.

The annual boat parade on Wilson Lake held prior to Saturday night’s fireworks has been canceled this year. Friends of Wilson Lake sponsor the boat parade and are working to revamp it for next year, she said.

The traditional food, sales, tours and displays return this year for the two-day festival, ending with a display of fireworks from the boat launch at approximately 9 p.m. or dusk. The rain date is Sunday, Aug.7.

More information is available on the festival website at www.wiltonbbf.com.

[email protected]