There’s no denying the brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures made this year’s Olde Bristol Days exceedingly memorable.
The many activities and events were rolled out like a red carpet to welcome visitors – the vendors and fair food on the grounds of Fort William Henry, pony rides and llamas saying “hello” at Pemaquid Beach, the Saturday parade with floats and bands, fireworks at dusk, and all capped by the Sunday Al Sproul 10K Road Race and annual Merritt Brackett lobster boat races in Pemaquid Harbor.
Saturday’s parade kicked off the weekend’s festivities as hundreds of people lined the streets of New Harbor to watch parade Grand Marshall Sylvia Collamore, 99, lead a cavalcade of fire trucks, monster trucks, men in chicken suits, and the revered Smokey the Bear.
Collamore blew kisses and waved in her open top antique car as onlookers reveled in the blue skies and bright sunshine.
Informally polling some of the 40 vendors and crafters at Fort William Henry grounds, comments were unanimous in extolling the pristine weather, but many generally felt after Saturday’s tally, that crowds were down slightly from years past.
A few blamed it on the economy, a common retort these days, but a few also blamed it on the parking restriction placed on the event. Visitors were shuttled from Bristol Consolidated School to the beach and then to the Fort grounds.
“This is spread out all over the place,” a vendor said about the multiple locations most considerably more than an easy walk apart. “We should have this whole thing at the [Pemaquid] beach.”
The casual observer, however, saw happy faces, heard few fairgoers complaining and most were accompanied by skipping, joyful children.
As per usual, the Bristol Fire Dept. sudsy waterslide was a huge hit, set up right next to the bouncy house where kids could run off pent up summer energy.
The Bristol Masons were grilling up dogs and burgers, and in the early mornings had coffee and donuts for vendors; Mike Mayo deep fried his famous hand-cut French fries and paper thin French fried potato chips; and, the famous barbecuing pair, Erin Reeves and Chad McKernan, owners of the Samoset Restaurant in New Harbor, were at the grill.
The events featured free concerts throughout the day including locally renowned DJ, Walter Hilton, the Fir Hollow Band, the Bath Municipal Swing Band, and two other bands at the beach – Rave On and Georgia Heat Country Band.
Hats should be tipped to Bristol Parks and Recreation Commission’s Gordon Benner who played the host with the most, and his fellow Commission members Cerina Leeman and Paul Tierney, along with the Maine State Park staff who worked tirelessly on all activity sites – Park Manager Kelsie Tardif, Barry Masterson, Carly Masterson, Rick Pierce, Kate Raymond, Rob Langton, and Val Fossett.
