Bounty of fun at Bay Fest

58th annual Belfast Bay Festival at City Park

The city of Belfast will hold its annual summer celebration, the Belfast Bay Festival, Wednesday through Sunday, July 20 to 24. This year marks the 58th anniversary of the event, which takes place at City Park, located on Northport Avenue.

     The festival will pay special tribute to the military this year. The theme of the annual parade, which will be held Saturday, July 23, is “Honor Our Troops.”

     The festival’s board of directors chose the theme to “recognize the work of area men and women who were called to duty in Iraq,” according to Greg Bean of Brooks, president of the board.

     Capt. Dean Preston, commanding officer of Company A, 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard, will lead the parade as its marshal when it winds through the downtown section of Belfast beginning at 10 a.m.

     Capt. Preston led his troops while stationed in Iraq earlier this year. During the parade he will be joined by other members of Company A who train at the Belfast Armory.

     “These are our friends and neighbors who were called to duty by the President to serve in Iraq,” Bean said. “Whether you support the war or not, we feel it very appropriate to honor them for the work they did. Some were wounded and some lost their lives -- all who served both here and abroad deserve this recognition.”

     In addition to the parade, a ceremony will be held later on Saturday at the Festival grounds to recognize work done in the local area to support the families of the troops as well as recognition of the work done by the troops on active duty.

     This year’s Festival will mark the return of the annual coronation of the Miss Belfast Bay Festival queen. The coronation has been missing from the Festival for several years. It is returning thanks to increased interest, according to Sandra Otis-Anderson of Searsport, member of the board and chairman of the Coronation Committee.

Josh Cushman of Northport aims at a target during a fair game last year at the Belfast Bay Festival.

Three finalists have been selected -- Jessica Patterson of Northport and Kati Look and Renee Knowles of Belfast -- each of whom will receive a scholarship to the college of their choice, according to Otis-Anderson. The three finalists will meet with judges during Festival week and the winner and runners-up will be announced on opening day of the Festival, Wednesday, July 20, during a coronation ceremony at 7 p.m. on the stage at City Park.

     The Festival will also enjoy the return of Smokey’s Greater Shows for the midway carnival. The midway attractions will be expanded for the event, with a focus on the upper end of City Park and an increase in activities for children.

     “This will be one of the best Festivals ever,” Bean said. “The new and expanded midway is just the icing on the cake for us; we expect record crowds to respond to our efforts to honor our local military, return of the coronation and in response to a very strong billing of both local and national talent.”

     In all, the Festival will feature five days of events, with highlights like a Karaoke Contest, bingo, Hansen’s Aerial Act high wire show, plenty of live musical entertainment and more.

     The Festival opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, with free night. The regular Festival gate entrance fee of $4 for adults and $2 for children 12 years of age and under will be waived for that day only. There will still be charges for events, activities and rides inside the Festival grounds that evening.

     Wednesday’s program will include bingo from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., the Miss Belfast Bay Festival queen coronation at 7 p.m. on the stage in the center of City Park, followed by Smokey Stover’s Light Show from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., in the same location.

     At 8:30 p.m. on the ballfield in the upper end of City Park, Hanson’s Aerial Act will conduct one of several high wire act performances. The gates close at 11 p.m.

     Thursday, July 21, will be Senior Day, with afternoon activities designed exclusively for seniors, all free of charge. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., area seniors will be offered bingo, a variety of speeches and other programs. A free box lunch will be served at noon, accompanied by musical entertainment.

     The gate will open Thursday at 4 p.m. At the ballfield, Hansen’s Aerial Act will hold performances at 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Bingo lovers can visit the Bingo tent for games from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

     On the stage at the center of the park, the Muddy Marsh Ramblers will perform from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Jeezum Crowe from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and The Industry from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

     Friday, the gate will open at 11 a.m. Events will include the Red Hat Society Tea, Hanson’s Aerial Act, karaoke preliminaries, and performances by Jusferkiks from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Dakota from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

     Members of the Red Hat Society will gather from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the park for a meeting. Tea and snacks will be provided by Lee and John MacDonald, who operate the Belfast Dunkin’ Donuts. The gathering also will include competition among the Red Hatters for the best hat.

     Local talent interested in competing in the karaoke contest can participate from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a $10 entry fee for those who want to be considered by the judges as finalists. There will be no entry fee for those who just want to show their singing ability during the preliminary competition.

     Jusferkiks is a local Waldo County group who will bring their blend of blues and rock ‘n roll to those who like to dance.

     Dakota’s music ranges from the 1970s to the present. Dakota is returning to Belfast, offering their renditions of songs by Bob Seger, Pink Floyd, Lynard Skynard, AC/DC and others. For years, Dakota has toured North America, opening for national recording artists, and have always been a huge attraction for Waldo County Festival attendees.

     Saturday is Children’s Day at the festival and festivities will open with the annual mile-long parade, which will commence at Belfast High School at 10 a.m. and conclude around noon at City Park. The gate will open at 11 a.m., with the annual chicken barbecue at noon.

     Children’s Day activities will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Tent at centerpark. Scot Cannon, a mime, Yodeling Montana and the Belfast Twirlers will provide entertainment in the tent. The Waldo County Kiwanis Club will offer a table featuring “Healthy Food Choices” for youth.

     At 6 p.m. on stage at centerpark, Belfast City Recreation Director Jim Bell will announce the winners of the Mackerel Mania fishing derby. This will be followed by a presentation to the commander of Company A, 133rd

     Engineer Battalion, and a presentation recognizing the work of local heroes who assisted Waldo County families while troops served in Iraq.

     Also on Saturday on the lower basketball court, Waldo County Salvation Army will hold its second annual auction and bingo will be offered from 5 p.m to 11 p.m.

Kevin Leclerc of Orrington clings to the artificial cliff face of a climbing wall at the Belfast Bay Festival in 2004.

Entertainment for the day includes Mac McHale and the Oldtime Radio Gang from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Hansen’s Aerial Act at 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

     Headlining Saturday’s entertainment will be Debbie Myers, who will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Myers, who has recently had three singles in the Top 10 on Canadian County music charts, moved to Maine after her youthful years in Moncton, New Brunswick; she currently lives in Augusta. Her single “Strong Enough to Bend” was on the Canadian charts for 16 weeks. Myers is also known for her strong performances and willingness to interact with the audience.

     The Karaoke semi-finals will be held from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by the finals at 10:30 p.m.

     And the annual fireworks display will be provided by Central Maine Pyrotechnics at 10 p.m. The show will be located on the shore at the lower end of the park, with the show visible over Belfast Harbor.

     On Sunday, July 24, the final day of the Festival, the gate opens at 10 a.m. Hansen’s Aerial Act will provide performances at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

     A live chess performance will be conducted by members of The Game Loft from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Audience participation is encouraged and no experience is necessary to join the live chess game.

     Next will be a performance by Steelin’ Thunder, a musical group that grew out of the Adult Education Program in SAD 5, based in Rockland, and has been unstoppable since. They play jazz, Bossanova, swing, Calypso, rock ‘n roll and classical steel drums.

     The day will be capped off by a 2 p.m. performance on stage by Robert Washington of Auburn, who won the international title of Best Elvis Impersonator two years ago in competition in Las Vegas. The festival will close at 5 p.m.

     Shuttle service will be available Friday and Saturday and will be provided by Waldo County Transportation, with pick up in front of the Belfast Co-op on High Street or the Chamber of Commerce on lower Main Street.