LISBON FALLS – When Frank Anicetti decided to invite Frank Potter to his store in Lisbon Falls for a book signing for Potter’s The Moxie Mystique, he did not envision it would become one of Maine’s major summer events.

Potter was back in Lisbon Falls to be a part of the 21st Moxie Festival, and this year he was tabbed to be the grand marshal for the festivities.

Riding one of the two Moxie Horsemobiles in the parade, the 93-year-old was clearly popular, being met with enthusiastic greetings along the two-hour parade route.

“I’ve been involved in every Moxie Festival save one or two over the past 21 years,” said Potter. “Lisbon Falls is the Moxie headquarters of the universe.”

Parade-goers began arriving early to claim their piece of turf along the route. Jeremy Stopford came from as far away as Beaver Meadow, N.Y., near Syracuse, for the festival. Making the nine-hour trip for the fifth straight year with his wife, Thuvia, Stopford was in the downtown area at 7:15 a.m. seeking prime real estate for parade viewing.

They make a weekend of it, he said, coming up Thursday and staying at a Lewiston motel. “On Friday, we shop at L.L. Bean and come out early to the parade on Saturday. We fill our trunk with Moxie from Frank’s store and head back to New York on Sunday,” said Stopford.

According to parade organizer and Moxie Committee chairwoman Sue Conroy, this year’s crowd for the parade was close to last year’s record of 30,000.

“We had somewhere between 25.000 to 30,000 people along the route, ” she said.

One of Maine’s largest parades drew diverse participants like the Muchachos Drum and Bugle Corps from Manchester, N.H., as well as Kora Shrine contingents such as the Kora Klowns and the Kora Karts.

Keeping with this year’s 70’s theme, several floats featured regalia from that era, such as Faye Brown’s Green Thumb Gang float, with a larger-than-life cut-out of John Travolta, circa Saturday Night Fever, on the back. The peace sign was out in force, with several floats sporting the symbol and a “peace man” riding on a horse.

Both political parties were well represented, with both national and state officials walking in the parade, including Gov. John Baldacci, who issued a formal proclamation declaring Saturday as Moxie Day in Maine.

“I’m participating in the parade because it’s a wonderful community activity. It’s a great summertime festival, and these bring our communities together, ” the governor said.

Baldacci was joined by 2nd District Congressman Mike Michaud, a self-described Moxie drinker himself.

“I’ve been a Moxie drinker for as long as I remember,” said Michaud. “I always keep some in my office refrigerator, even in Washington”

Many parade-watchers stayed on afterwards to gather in the downtown area along Main Street to eat, socialize, and watch a number of demonstrations and performances. One hotspot was Frank Anicetti’s Kennebec Fruit Co., where the line stayed at between 75 and 100 people waiting to get an ice cream and see the Moxie memorabilia inside. Even the governor got involved spending some time behind the counter scooping ice cream for the happy recipients.

While the day began sunny, a creeping overcast helped keep the heat down from previous years and even some light, periodic drizzle didn’t dampen the enthusiasm along the parade route, or reduce the numbers of those who stayed to participate in the many afternoon activities in the downtown area.

As the celebration wound down late in the day, it was obvious that Moxie was alive and well in Lisbon Falls.