KINGFIELD — Kingfield will celebrate its designation as Maine’s fourth Appalachian Trail Community Saturday, Sept. 10, in conjunction with the Kingfield Bicentennial Harvest Dinner Dance in The Barn at the Mountain Village Farm B&B.

Kingfield will join Monson, Millinocket and Rangeley as Appalachian Trail Communities in Maine as they promote and protect the Appalachian Trail.

The AT community program was established in 2011 for the purpose of enhancing economic development in communities along the trail. Benefits of becoming an AT community include strengthened partnerships through education, stewardship, media and marketing, and service to the trail and hikers. Successful designation is a long process that concludes with this celebration. 

The celebration will begin at 4 p.m with a potluck barbecue at 5 p.m. The designation ceremony starts at 6 p.m. with Maine Sen. Tom Saviello, R-Wilton, serving as master of ceremonies.

Hawk Metheny, director of AT Conservancy New England Regional, will welcome Kingfield into the AT Community Program, and Kingfield Board of Selectmen Chairman Wade Brown will welcome guests.

Invited speakers include resident Lester Kenway, Maine Appalachian Trail Club; Simon Rucker, chairman of Appalachian Land Trust; and U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.

At 7 p.m., the celebration will continue with live music, dancing, a “toast to our town,” a cider pressing and beard-growing contest judging.

The event is free and all ages are welcome.

FMI: [email protected], 207-265-2030, tinyurl.com/z3ehrbp.