2012 Logging Festival & Parade--Bigger & better than ever

RANGELEY - Make sure your plans include coming to the 32nd Annual Rangeley Logging Museum’s Parade and Festival on July 27 and 28. It’s Rangeley’s biggest parade of the year and your only chance to see the Great Maine Lumberjack Show featuring Timber Tina and the LumberJills.
Starting on Friday, July 27, the traditional events include; biscuit cooking and burying of the beans at the Museum grounds, and then continue on to the Episcopal Church for the Mr. and Miss Wood Chip Talent Show, Art Contest winners, the Loggers Hall of Fame inductees, and music and storytelling with 13-year-old fiddle virtuoso Mason Strunk and Uncle Al.
On Saturday morning, July 28, get your parade-viewing spot picked out early on Main Street to witness the best, most creative parade ever with entries ranging from the huge equipment of the modern logging industry to the whacky floats put together by local businesses and groups. A special antique car and motorcycle division is honoring the memory of our own native son and car enthusiast, Odie Bachelder, who passed away earlier this year.
This years’ overall Parade theme is "Book Titles"…Robin Hood, How To Eat Fried Worms, The Help, Little Red Riding Hood, etc., which should make it easy to get everyone involved. It’s a great opportunity to show off your business, group, or organization to hundreds of folks who attend the festivities--not to mention the chance to win cash prizes. For more information about participating in the Parade,contact Parade Coordinator Linda Sikes at 491-6566.
After the Parade, come jointhe activitiesat the Logging Museum grounds to enjoy a traditional bean-hole dinner, live music, artists and crafters, children’s activities including a 1940s carousel, storytelling, and non-stop entertainment all afternoon with the Woodsmen’s Competition and the Great Maine Lumberjack Show.
And this just in from Timber Tina, “We willbe offering Log Rolling/Birling lessons to members of the community throughout the day from 12-3 p.m., and the kids will love it!” It’s a great day for a family activity. Local lumberjacks are encouraged to enter the Woodsmen’s Competition. Winner’s take home prizes like brand new Stihl® chainsaws, personal safety gear, and cash prizes in seven categories.
Another new feature at this year’s Festival will be “Conversations with Carvers,” showcasing three local carvers of international fame: Museum founder Rodney Richard, aka “The Mad Whittler;” Ashley Gray, 2012 World Champion carver; and David Barten, Diorama carver. All of these artists will have work on hand to marvel at and discuss.
If you can’t make it to the Festival, we hope you’ll come see the Logging Museum. The logging history in Maine is rich and varied and is bound to surprise you. In fact, did you know that the chain saw, taken for granted in so many households worldwide, was invented right here in Maine? There’s more to it than those logging trucks rumbling down the road. Come see for yourself.
The Museum is located on Rt. 16, the Stratton Road, just a mile outside Rangeley and is open Wednesday through Sunday; 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. through Labor Day. You can’t miss the sign. For more information,visit the website at www.rlrlm.org, “like” the musuem on Facebook at facebook.com/RangeleyLoggingMuseum, or call 864-3939. See you there.