LIMESTONE, Maine — With months of planning and weeks of festivities already under way, the Limestone community is gearing up for another fabulous Fourth of July celebration — this time in a new way.
On Thursday, July 4, events begin at 9 a.m. with a 5K run and an interfaith prayer service and continue right up to the evening with a culmination of fireworks, entertainment by the popular band French Toast and even a beer garden.
Preliminary events have been held for the past couple weeks building excitement for the Fourth of July — like the annual Strawberry Shortcake Festival, the Teddy Bear Picnic, the Town-Wide Yard Sale — and all have occurred at their traditional locations.
Tomorrow’s big event, however, will be different than past Fourth of July celebrations in that following the parade at 1 p.m., the fun stays downtown.
As announced by officials with the Limestone Chamber of Commerce, early this year, post-parade festivities will stay in the downtown area — and they’ve made sure the Fourth of July is packed with fun facets for the young and old all day long.
Even the vendors are catering to an array of taste buds this year, from savory treats like lobster rolls to the fluffy sweetness of cotton candy.
By hosting the festivities downtown, organizers are utilizing the increased space to offer more activities — after the 1 p.m. parade, for instance, folks can listen to the Southern Victoria Pipe & Drum Band followed by the Fort Fiddlers at the Rotary Park, head over to the Albert Michaud Memorial Park for laser tag, games, face painting and bouncy houses, or they can head up to the Masonic Lodge parking lot for the Northern Lights Farm Toy Show and Sale. Even the Limestone-Caswell Historical Society will offer extended hours, open from 9 a.m. until noon and continuing from 2 – 4 p.m. with antique farm equipment on display all day.
Though some have expressed resistance to moving the event from its historic Trafton Lake site, a lot of excitement has also been generated through the creation of new events — particularly since organizers have been certain to plan a day so packed that those who choose to celebrate the Fourth of July in Limestone won’t have time to get bored.
Limestone Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Albert explained how previously independent events — like the street dance — have been moved to the Fourth specifically to ensure that energetic patriotism continues from the 9 a.m. prayer until French Toast plays its last starlit song at 11 p.m.
“It will be a full day of activities,” Albert assured.
The schedule of events for today and tomorrow can be found on page 8A and additional information about Limestone’s Fourth of July festivities can be found by visiting the Limestone Chamber of Commerce on Facebook or www.limestonemaine.org.
Fourth of July events in Limestone
Wednesday, July 3
• 4-6 p.m. Chicken Pie Supper at St. Louis Catholic Church. Cost $8 adults; under 12 years $5; family of four $25. Chairperson: Sharon Schrum, 325-4385.
• 5:30 p.m. – Pet Show at Albert Michaud Memorial Park. Household pets, leashes required. Come and show off your household pet’s beauty and talent at this very popular event. Ribbons awarded to every pet. Donations of food, cleaning supplies and blankets for Halfway Home Pet Rescue are very much appreciated. Chairperson: Lisa Cantafio, 328-4524.
• 6:30 p.m – Scavenger Hunt at Albert Michaud Memorial Park. Chairperson: Lisa Cantafio, 328-4524.
Thursday, July 4
• 7-9 a.m. Methodist Men’s Ham and Pancake Breakfast at Limestone United Methodist Church
• 8 a.m. – Red, White & Blue 9-Hole Golf Tournament at Limestone Country Club. Two-man scramble; nine holes. Contact Country Club, 328-7277.
• 9 a.m. – Interfaith Service at Albert Michaud Memorial Park. Reverend Robert Amuzzini & Pastor Ellen Cleaves.
• 9 a.m – Fourth of July Off-Road 5K Walk/Run at back parking lot of LCS. $10 registration fee, proceeds to benefit Limestone Class of 2016 Project Graduation. Contact the Limestone Rec. Dept. at 325-4791 to pre-register.
• 9 a.m. -4 p.m — Antique Farm Equipment Display at Limestone-Caswell Historical Society. Contact Jon Poitras, 325-4028; Raymond Beaulieu, 325-4937.
• 9 a.m – noon; 2 – 4 p.m. — Museum will be open at Limestone-Caswell Historical Society. Lemonade and refreshments will be served.
• 10 a.m. -4 p.m. — Northern Lights Farm Toy Show and Sale at Masonic Lodge parking lot. Transportation toy collection displays, toy raffle and consignment and dealer sales. Kids Pedal Tractor Pulls when the parade ends. Chairperson: Fred Edgecomb, 325-4331.
• 11 a.m. -1 p.m — Annual Chicken BBQ at Limestone Volunteer Fire Dept, sponsored by Limestone Volunteer Fire Dept. Cost is $8.
• 11 a.m. -11 p.m — Food concessions at Albert Michaud Memorial Park
Noon — before the parade on Main Street: DJ Jake Ball with performances by “Steppin’ Time” Country Line Dancers, Limestone Queens and Annie Charles.
• 1 p.m. — “Stars & Stripes” Parade – clowns, bands, Indy Cars, antique cars and tractors, queens, and much more. Chairperson: Grace O’Neal, 325-3491. (No rain date for this event)
• 2 p.m. (after parade) – Duck 500 Race on Bridge Street, provided by Limestone Volunteer Fire Dept. $5 per ticket; $500 prize. See any volunteer fire member for tickets.
• 2:15 -3 p.m — Southern Victoria Pipe Drum Band performance at Rotary Town Park, Main Street
• 3:15 -4 p.m. — Fort Fiddlers performance at Rotary Town Park, Main Street
• 2 p.m — Face painting, caricatures, henna tattoos, arts & crafts, and more will be held at Albert Michaud Memorial Park (No rain date for any of these events).
• 2 -7 p.m. — G-Force Attractions (variety of bouncy houses, gyro, laser tag, and more) $10 bracelet for all day!
• 4 -11 p.m. — Beer Garden provided by Limestone Country Club and Knights of Columbus.
• 7 -11 p.m. — Band “French Toast”, sponsored by CARY Medical Center & Limestone Chamber of Commerce.
• Appox. 9 p.m. — Fireworks over downtown Limestone, launched on the hill off the Grand Falls Road. (Rain date is Friday 7/5)
Friday, July 5
• 4:30 –8 p.m.: Outdoor 3-on-3 double elimination Basketball Tournament at Albert Michaud Memorial Park – $30 per team; maximum of three participants per roster. Proceeds to benefit Limestone Class of 2016. (Rain location will be at LCS). Call Rec. Dept. at 325-4791 to pre-register.
Saturday, July 6
• 8 a.m. – Limestone Rotary Club Annual Golf Tournament at the Limestone Country Club. Four-person team; shotgun start. Chairperson: Larry Zenzius, 325-4667.
• 10 a.m. – Outdoor 3-on-3 double elimination Basketball Tournament (continuation from Friday evening) at Albert Michaud Memorial Park. (Rain location will be at LCS).
Week of July 14
• Sunday, July 14 to Thursday, July 18: from 10:30 –11:30 a.m., a reading program will be held at the Robert Frost Memorial Library.
• Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 19: from 6 – 8 p.m., Vacation Bible School will be held at the Limestone United Methodist Church. The theme is “Where God’s World Comes Together.”
