Former Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman leads a brigade of children on bikes during the Olde Bristol Days parade in New Harbor on Saturday, Aug. 10. The brigade entered the parade at Harbor Ice Cream on Route 130. (Johnathan Riley photo
From lobster boats to parade floats, the 70th Olde Bristol Days was celebrated all weekend long, all over the Pemaquid Peninsula.
After concerns dissipated over inclement weather, the customary Olde Bristol Days parade took place on schedule on Saturday, Aug. 10.
Bagpiper Jack Shattuck and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Rand Maker led the parade participants from Points North Restaurant south on Route 130 before turning onto Snowball Hill Road and ending at the turn for Fort William Henry State Park.
Participants included the Bristol Fire Department, Healthy Kids, Seaside Princess Parties, Maine Kayak, a float carrying a shark-themed birthday party for the now 7-year-old Fiona McCarthy, and a brigade of children on bicycles led by former Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman.
“I thought the parade went really well even though the forecasted weather kept the crowd numbers down,” Leeman said. “The parade participants and organizers did a great job.”
After the parade, participants and spectators converged at Pemaquid Beach Park in Bristol for family fun, food from Mimi’s on the Beach and the Salty Boys food truck, a slip-and-slide, a dunk tank, a touch tank, and face painting. Various musical acts performed while attendees enjoyed the festivities.
While families flocked to the beach, the Olde Bristol Days Williams-Fossett Vintage Car Show took place in the parking lot of Points North, formerly The Harbor Room, where the parade started earlier in the day.
According to event organizer Jeff Friedman, the Olde Bristol Days events were well attended despite weather concerns.
“Olde Bristol Days, starting with its annual parade and vintage car show, beat the rain on Saturday to welcome hundreds of visitors that enjoyed family friendly festivities,” Friedman wrote in an email.
The forecast for inclement weather did manage to deter organizers from hosting fireworks at Pemaquid Beach. Bristol Parks and Recreation Director Shelley Gallagher said the decision was made because of the rough seas predicted. The fireworks, according to Gallagher, were scheduled to be launched from a barge off the shore of Pemaquid Beach.
Instead, a postponed showing of “Jaws” took place at Pemaquid Seafood Restaurant & Wharf at dusk where popcorn and snow cones were provided to attendees. The film showing was originally scheduled to happen on Friday, Aug. 9.
The weekend concluded with the 37th Merrill Brackett Lobster Boat Races at the mouth of Pemaquid Harbor in John’s Bay. (For race results see page 15)
For more information about the event, email the Bristol town office at info@bristolmaine.org or call 563-5270.
