Maine Forestry Museum Logging Festival is July 16, 17

RANGELEY — The Maine Forestry Museum will hold its 40th annual Logging Festival Days on Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17, at the fairgrounds, 221 Stratton Road.
Most of the weekend events are free, unless otherwise noted.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 16, artists, crafters and vendors will be featured, and the beans for Saturday’s bean hole dinner will be buried at 4 p.m.
The Little Mr. and Miss Woodchip contest will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Rangeley Inn. The contest is open to boys and girls 6 to 8 years old. Contestents may recite a poem or sing a song. The winners ride in Saturday’s parade. Friday night’s contest also features live music by the Pulled Together Band, along with clogging by the Northern Explosion Dance Team. To enter a child in the contest, contact Liz Pimentel at 917-836-1632.
The Logging Parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday on Main Street. This year’s theme is “An Interesting Past, A Promising Future.” Prizes for Best Loaded Truck, Most Appropriate to Logging (logging industry equipment), Best Fitting Parade Theme for floats and other entries. To register contact parade coordinator Linda Sikes at 207-491-6566.
A birling (log rolling) competition will take place after the parade at the town park. Artists, crafters and vendors be at the fairgrounds from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as clogging performances, music, the bean hole dinner, Baxter Brewing beer, wood carving demos, barrel train rides for the kids and other free children’s activities.
The Lumberjack and Lumberjill competition, with up to $3,000 in prizes, is also Saturday. Admission is free to museum members and kids under 12; $5 for nonmembers 18 and over, $3 for those 13 to 17. The competition includes the ax throw, cross cut, underhand chop, bow saw, hot saw and standing block. Four women are being inducted into the MFM Hall of Fame as part of the festivities.
For information, visit www.maineforestrymuseum.org.