Canton celebrates bicentennial in style, with four days of events

PHOTO: Lucas Vantuinen leads the parade with an American flag; carrying the banner are Sarah Frank and Jason Lee. (Peg McCluskey photo)

CANTON – The town held a four-day Summer Celebration to honor its bicentennial from Aug. 5 to 8, featuring 20 separate events that drew residents of all ages.
A founders dinner attended by 200 people with connections to Canton kicked off the celebration on Aug. 5. The event was held in a banquet tent decorated with flowers, hanging lanterns, and lights, on the town’s ball field. Dinner was followed by a program hosted by Christine Carrigan and Malcolm Ray, which featured 30 historical items that tell the story of Canton’s history. The items were presented to the audience by people who had an association with the item. Presenter Victor Leinberger, who holds Canton’s Boston Post Cane as the town’s oldest resident, made the first cut into a cake decorated with Canton’s bicentennial logo.

Other activities during the celebration included an exhibit of the historic items at the Canton Historical Society, a baked goods sale for picnickers by Canton United Baptist Church at the park, story time and fairy houses along the Whitney Brook Trail, and a trolley featuring a 40-minute tour of the area with tour guides Rob Marshall and Sam Howes. Friday ended with Cow Chip Bingo, a street dance at the boat launch attended by 300 people and fireworks.
Saturday’s events included a festival at the town park, with a craft and vendor fair with kids’ activities, artists, entertainers, artist demonstrations and food. A parade down Main Street kicked off at 11 a.m. After the parade, several of the cars in the parade joined other cars at the boat launch for a car show. In the afternoon, a draft horse and pony show was held at Boondocks Farm, followed by a fundraising dinner served by the 4-H Club at Conant Acres. That evening, music and food was featured at the ball field, including live music and dancing.
Sunday morning started off with a pancake breakfast at the ball field, hosted as a fundraiser by the Girl Scouts. After the breakfast, a service was held at Bradbury Memorial Chapel, featuring Robyn McClintock on the pump organ and a scripture read by Canton United Baptist Church pastor Kathy Saarinen and a sermon by Eva Thompson. Other events were a fireman’s muster, a recognition and remembrance event, food, and more.
The weekend’s final event was a beach party featuring the calypso band Chicks with Sticks. The Lake Anasagunticook Association handed out ice cream bars while people lounged on the beach, waded in the water, paddled and boated.
The weekend celebration was five years in the making. Planning was spearheaded by the Canton Bicentennial Committee, whose current members are Phyllis Ouellette, Loretta Blancato, Brian Keene, Anne Chamberlin, and Liz Rothrock. Money designated by town residents combined with money raised by the Canton Bicentennial Committee allowed all the events to be free of charge.
To see more photos, visit Canton, Maine Bicentennial Facebook page.