It’s an exciting time at the Northern Maine Fair. From July 30th through August 8th the fairgrounds will be bustling with activity. Particularly exciting this year will be Vincenta Pages and her six white bengal tigers. You can see photos of these beautiful animals and get a complete list of all the fair events, dates and times by clicking The Northern Maine Fair

Northern Maine Fairgrounds are located at 84 Mechanic Street in Presque Isle, Maine.

From July 30th through August 8th, York, Maine celebrates “York Days” with a variety of exciting events held every day. It’s a festival of activities for the whole family.

Click here for a complete list of events, locations and times.

Plan now to enjoy some, or all, of the great activities in beautiful York, Maine!

PREPARATION:

Bruce Pierce builds flag stands with Bob and Deb Walo looking on.

Grills are ready and tables and chairs set up for the BBQ

 OPENING CEREMONIES:

 

Lewiston/Auburn Veteran's Council

Post 68 Jackson-Silver, Post 112 Anderson-Staples, Company A Third Maine

Post 150 Mechanic Falls, Minot, Poland

God Bless America by Eileen Walo - The Wisdom That We Gained by Al Pelletier

Administrator Joel Dutton - National Anthem sung by Tammy Benson

MILITARY VEHICLES:

Military Vehicle Show

Military Vehicle Display

Company "A" Third Maine Volunteer Infantry

Company "A" Third Maine Volunteer Infantry

Company "A" Third Maine Volunteer Infantry

Company "A" Third Maine Volunteer Infantry

Company "A" Third Maine Volunteer Infantry

 Members of Company “A” may purchase pictures here

AND THEN THERE WAS FOOD!!!

Nothing smells better than onions and green peppers on the grill!

Lots of good food for everyone!

A couple of happy veterans with burgers, hot dogs and chicken!

 The AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS made sure there was plenty of great BBQ food! On the grill was chicken, burgers, hot dogs and those fragrant onions and green peppers and they were served with potato salad and cole slaw.  Bags of potato chips were provided by Utz in Auburn and Deb Walo baked a HUGE cake! There was plenty to drink including lemonade, iced tea, soft drinks, bottled water and coffee. The coffee and donuts for the morning were provided by Tim Hortons in Norway.

People in line for the BBQ

Nothing is better than a BBQ!

AND THERE WAS GREAT ENTERTAINMENT!

Davina Poulin played guitar and sang some of her own compositions.

TJ's DJ Service

 TJ’s Dj service kept the music flowing all day with oldies, country and patriotic numbers.

 Jarosady also entertained and played for everyone. We hope to have a photo up soon but meanwhile you can visit their My Space site at www.myspace.com/jarosady

It was a great day and a great way to honor all the veteran’s who have served their country well!!

Add seeing our famous, but sometimes elusive, moose to your Maine Bucket List today! I am a “lover of MOOSE,” dating back to my early childhood. I’ve seen many hundreds of moose in my lifetime, but I have a friend in the “Moose Lookin’” business who has tracked down and seen many more than I have. Her name is Brenda Marcotte and she owns Mooseland Tours, a moose tour business in western Maine. Brenda knows all about moose and she has an excellent track record for finding them.  I have had so much fun going on moose tours with Brenda! Not only will you learn a lot about moose, how to look for them safely, how to identify their tracks and the kind of areas they like to frequent, you will also get to see some beautiful scenery and have a great time.  If you are lucky you may also get to see other Maine wildlife, such as fox, coyote, bald eagles, hawks or maybe even a fleeting glimpse of the elusive Maine black bear. Below are some photos I took while out with Brenda from Mooseland Tours.

Maine Bull Moose

Young Maine Bull Moose

 Give Brenda a call at 207.890.5212 for more information and to book a tour.

July 15, 2010 Veteran's Event in So.Paris

This year the Western Maine Veteran’s Home celebrates its 15th year! MaineUSA wishes to congratulate them for all they do for the veteran’s and for the community. It’s not unusual to see the Veteran’s Home bus parked at a local restaurant while the vet’s are inside enjoying a great meal. The home sponsors lots of activities throughout the year for the residents and the community. Craft fairs are held twice a year which draw in a huge crowd of crafters and buyers. they are home to some very special people.

Saturday July 17th from 9am to 4pm, Veterans, their wives and the community is invited to the Western Maine Veteran’s Home on Western Avenue in So. Paris. The following is just a partial list of events taking place:

•  Military vehicles from Camp Keyes and other military installations in Maine
•  The American Legion Riders of Rumford will be barbecuing burgers, hotdogs and offering up salads and drinks
• Colors will be posted from area groups during the opening ceremonies
• Music will be provided by T.J’s dj services through out the event
• Displays will be put up by the Maine Military Museum and Learning Center 
• Area VSO’s will have information available to those interested in joining

Bring the whole family and come and show your support for our Veteran’s and for all they did for us!

Mark your calendar for July 16th, 17th and 18th for the 45th Annual Yarmouth Clam Festival. Admission to the festival and events  is always FREE and all the proceeds from the sale of food and parking lots goes to support Yarmouth’s non-profit student, sporting, music, church, and community-service organizations.

You won’t want to miss it. Arrive early and stay late. It’s a fun time for the whole family! Craft show, art show, Smokey’s Carnival and Rides, Face Painting, Free Belgian Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, Free Admission to the Yarmouth Historical Society and MORE!!  Go to the FESTIVAL WEB SITE

Orrs and Bailey's Islands

One of my favorite day trips is to Orr’s and Bailey Islands. Originally named Newaggin by the Abenaki Indians, the name was later changed to Will’s Island when freed slave Will Black became the first settler in 1727.  The name Bailey was adopted, purportedly, when Reverend Timothy Bailey may have bought Will’s Island for one pound of tobacco and a gallon of rum from William Black.

In another variation of the story, the minister’s wife liked the island and so the Baileys bribed municipal officials to find a flaw in Will’s title to the island and award it to them. In any event, after Timothy Bailey and his wife took possession of the island, Will Black moved to Orr’s Island.  Today I want to share a few photos that will, perhaps, inspire you to take  a trip there as well.

Gorgeous scenery and colorful buoys are everywhere

Maine's Beautiful Rocky Coastline

Fishing Boats are Everywhere

Fishing Shacks

Beautiful Cribstone Bridge

The Baily Island Bridge, better known as the Cribstone Bridge connects Bailey Island to Orr’s Island. The stone tablet at the bridge reads:

“Ths 1,150 foot bridge is an exceptional engineering solution to meet unusual conditions and is the only one of its type in the world. Open split Maine granite cribwork permits free flow of swift tidal currents, boat traffic, withstands saltwater exposure and ice floes. Completed in 1928. Engineer L. N. Edwards.”

Check out these photos from the Curtis Library documenting the history of the bridge. They are worth a look!

The Island Life

Fishing Boats - Cribstone Bridge

Whether you live in Maine or are visiting, take a day and visit Orr’s and Bailey. Check out the restaurants for some yummy seafood and do a little shopping at Land’s End. Have a great day and send me a photo of you and your group or family and I’ll post it right on MaineUSA. You can contact me in the contact section!

Enjoy the 4th in Maine!

Maine is a great place to celebrate the birth of the nation. Festivities are underway in many towns already. Growing up in Portland, we usually went up on the Eastern Prom to watch the fireworks.  Over the years I have attended firework displays in other communities around the state. We love the 4th of July in Maine! Parades, Music in the Park, Great Food, and Fireworks are just a few of the things happening in Maine communities this weekend.

Bath Heritage Days
Bath Heritage Days activities include a carnival, arts and crafts shows, art in the park, strawberry shortcake sale, shipbuilders triathlon, parade and big fireworks finale on July 5th at 9 p.m. at the Bath waterfront.

Ogunquit Days
Jul 01 thru Jul 05, 2010. Ogunquit Days features activities and events all around town and is sponsored by the Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce.The spectacular Ogunquit fireworks display on the Main Beach starts at 9:30 pm.

Annual Bethel Art Fair
Jul 03, 2010. Bethel Art Fair at the Bethel Village Common runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Village Common. Crafts, art, kid’s activities, live entertainment and jazz, puppet show, juggling and a lot of fun.

Cars and Antique Aeroplane Show
Jul 03 thru Jul 04, 2010. The Annual ’50s, ’60s and ’70s Car and Antique Aeroplane Show is held at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. See the Golden Age of Autos, enjoy a classic car rally, engine room demos, Model T rides, children’s activities and more. Also see one of America’s finest flying Museums in action.

Portland – Annual Fourth of July Celebration
Sunday, the annual 4th of July celebration and fireworks show will be held at the Eastern Promenade Park. This year, in addition to the fireworks show, the celebration will include a free Patriotic Pops concert by the Portland Symphony Orchestra which will feature performances of Sousa, Gershwin, and Tchaikovsky making it a true Stars and Stripes Spectacular. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7:40 PM and run throughout the fireworks display, which will begin at 9:20 PM. Spectators not on Munjoy Hill, can enjoy the concert by listening to a live broadcast on Maine Public Radio. A rain date is scheduled for Monday, July 5th.

4th of July Celebration

Bar Harbor – Independence Day Celebration
Jul 03 thru Jul 04, 2010. Independence Day Celebration in Bar Harbor. Two full days of fun-filled events

Augusta — Fourth of July parade
“Hometown Heroes,” 1 p.m. July 4. Bands playing all afternoon; activities at Old Fort Western; fireworks at Mill Park over the Kennebec River

Bangor – Fourth of July Parade
Fourth of July parade, “100 Years of Boy Scouting,” sponsored by Bangor, Bangor Breakfast, Brewer, Hampden and Orono-Old Town Kiwanis clubs, 11 a.m. July 4th. Fireworks sponsored by Bangor Area Fourth of July Corp., dusk, over Penobscot River between Bangor and Brewer.

Bar Harbor- “America the Beautiful,”
Fourth of July parade, 10 a.m. July 3, blueberry pancake breakfast, seafood festival of lobster, mussels, corn, strawberry shortcake. Craft fair and marketplace at YMCA, high-speed lobster race. Bar Harbor Town Band, 7:30 p.m. July 4 on Village Green, free concert, fireworks at 9 p.m. over Frenchman Bay.

Camden
Fireworks at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 3, launched from Curtis Island toward Camden Harbor. Rain date July 5.

Castine
Castine Town Band, Fourth of July musical gala with Castine Brass Quintet and Tarrantine Fife and Drums, 4 p.m. July 4 at the Town Green, Court Street. Free. Bring chairs or a blanket.

Dexter
Fireworks at dusk Saturday, July 3, to celebrate Independence Day. The fireworks can be viewed best from the Dexter Regional High School athletic field or the Dexter Recreational Area on Lake Wassookeag.

Eastport-Five-day Fourth of July Festival
Exciting activities every day -Independence Day parade, 2 p.m.; fireworks, dusk.

Millinockett
Fourth of July adults’ and children’s parades down Central Street to Penobscot Avenue to town bandstand at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 3, followed by Kids Day at Jerry Pond from noon to 3 p.m. Fireworks at 9:45pm

Unity
Fireworks will be displayed at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 3, from the racetrack infield.