Olde Bristol Days marked its 63rd year with a mix of traditional favorites and new attractions at the weekend celebration Aug. 15 and 16.
The festivities also celebrated the 250th anniversary of the town of Bristol, which was incorporated in 1765.
“Overall, I have gotten some very positive feedback,” said Sheila McLain, the coordinator of the event for the second year in a row.
In May, the Olde Bristol Days Committee hosted the first Rock the Harbor event to raise money for the celebration. Almost $4,000 was raised, and along with additional funding from event sponsors, McLain said the committee was able to make almost everything free.
“The only things people had to pay for were food and crafts,” McLain said.
On Thursday, the Bristol Parks and Recreation Commission hosted its annual barbecue dinner at Pemaquid Beach with a free concert by the Pete Collins Jazz Band.
The Olde Bristol Days parade kicked off the weekend celebration at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Harbor Day Care took home the top prize of $100. Reilly Well Drilling and Tucker Kelley’s “Save the Turtles” float took second and third place, respectively, with both winning $50.
Events were held at both Colonial Pemaquid and Pemaquid Beach. The beach offered a variety of activities for kids, including a petting zoo, pony rides, a bouncy house, and Rock “N” Roll NASCAR Racing, a remote-control car racing game that received a lot of positive feedback.
In addition to a craft show and food vendors, Colonial Pemaquid offered a variety of activities including face-painting, live music, and the Bristol Fire Department’s water slide on both Saturday and Sunday.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of Bristol, the fireworks show was larger than in previous years thanks to fundraising by the Bristol Parks and Recreation Commission.
“It was maybe the best fireworks I’ve ever seen in my life,” McLain said.
Results of Sunday’s Merritt Brackett Lobster Boat Races can be found elsewhere in this edition.
