Chester Greenwood Day events set for Saturday

FARMINGTON – It’s time to pull out the earmuffs, and not just because it’s getting chilly.

The first Saturday of December is celebrated in Farmington as Chester Greenwood Day – honoring the local man who invented earmuffs.

Planning for it is keeping the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce busy going over last minute details for the activities planned, said Lorna Nichols, director of the chamber.

Greenwood invented earmuffs at the age of 15 in the late 1800s. He’s also known for several other inventions.

Baxter, the state library’s coon cat, has his earmuffs ready and plans to sport them for the annual parade starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. Baxter, a very large cat, said Farmington Librarian Melanie Coombs, is based on an actual cat found outside the state library. Now a costumed figure that attends library activities around the state to promote reading, Baxter has been in existence for about a year, she said.

He will walk the parade with a group of staff and supporters from Wilton Free Public Library, Mantor Library at the University of Maine at Farmington, Franklin Memorial Hospital Library and Farmington Public Library. They will hand out cards with information about libraries, Coombs said.

The Third Maine Volunteer Infantry will again provide a glimpse into the history of the Civil War with their re-enactment, said member Sgt. Matt Bray. This year, a small contingent of the 100-plus members based in the southern part of the state will return with fife and drum and a civilian re-enactor complete with hoop skirt, he said.

The group portrays a regiment recruited early in the war from Maine’s Kennebec Valley area and travels from Farmington to North Carolina to re-enact the war, Bray said.

“While Chester Greenwood came later than the Civil War, it’s Maine history and the parade is educational. It’s a great parade,” he said about the reason the group enjoys the parade.

Some new businesses along with some familiar faces have called to join the parade, Nichols said. NotifyMD and the University Credit Union are planning an entry this year.

Parade line-up starts at 10 a.m. at the Mallett School with no entry fee or registration required.

Following the parade, the annual chili contest will be held at noon in Meetinghouse Park while a flag-raising and cake-cutting also will take place beginning at noon at the courthouse.

Creative bakers are invited to drop off their gingerbread house contest entries at 9 a.m. at 206 Broadway (near Reny’s) prior to the public viewing and voting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Silent auction bids will be taken on the houses.

Meanwhile, members of the Mt. Blue Middle School Show Choir will promote the holiday spirit as they sing Christmas carols from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the downtown area.

Ski Museum of Maine will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in honor of its first anniversary at the Church Street Commons site.

A wreath sale is planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Titcomb House on Academy Street. The sale is sponsored by the Farmington Historical Society.

The public is welcome to the Festival of Trees, starting at 9 a.m. and open all day at the Granary. The decorated trees will go on the auction block at 6 p.m.

Members of the Polar Bear Club plan to take their annual dip in Clearwater Lake at 3 p.m.