PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A free community picnic will be held Friday at Riverside Park as the Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 will host its ninth annual July Fourth Community Celebration.
According to Exalted Ruler Alan Harding, this year’s event will begin at 11 a.m. and will offer something for everyone, young and old alike. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers will be served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., along with drinks, chips, ice cream, cotton candy and shaved ice, all free of charge.
Games and contests for children, with prizes for all, will also be provided. There will be bounce houses for children under 11, and a dunking booth will allow picnic-goers the opportunity to demonstrate their throwing skills with the hopes of landing the “dunkees” in the chilly water.
A variety of musicians, including Wendell Hudson, Peter Parker, James “Sheldon” Wright, Leland Clark and many others, will be playing in the park’s gazebo. Boat rides on the Presque Isle Stream will also be available, provided the water level is sufficient. All activities are free.
Riverside Drive will be closed for the Elks annual Car Show. Parking for the event will be available in the parking lot east of Riverside Drive, which will be accessible from both Riverside Drive and Chapman Street.
Registration for the car show will begin at 10 a.m. and is also free. All participating car owners will receive a commemorative gift. Trophies will be presented for each class, including muscle cars, antique cars, classic cars, and cars of special interest. Trophies will be awarded for the People’s Choice and Best in Show.
“Area residents look forward to the Elks’ July Fourth event for a variety of reasons,” said Harding. “For young parents, it is a memorable and entertaining event which the entire family can attend, enjoy the day, and not spend a dime out of their tight family budgets.
“For older area residents, it is an occasion for them to see old friends, renew acquaintances, socialize, be entertained while listening to musicians perform or watching children compete in their games, or looking over cars from their past or to possibly enjoy in the future,” he said. “There are a multitude of reasons that people have enjoyed attending our annual Community Celebration in the past, which bring them back every year with even more people in attendance.”
Harding said the Elk members enjoy hosting area residents for the picnic and will continue to work hard to ensure that the Community Celebration continues to be “the most widely-attended, totally free, community event in the area.”
In the event of rain, the community picnic will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 5.
