ST. AGATHA, Maine – Hundreds of spectators lined up for nearly a mile down Main Street during St. Agatha’s July 14 “Summerfest” parade. The parade was one of several activities planned for the town’s three-day celebration of its 125th anniversary.
The festivities kicked off on Friday, July 12, with a family fun night sponsored by the town’s ATV club, which featured a bonfire, food, glow sticks, and music. Earlier in the day, the town office opened an information booth, and the town’s historical society and the Ayotte Museum were also open in the morning until 4 p.m.
Saturday was packed with events, with a “touch a truck” event taking place at the Wisdom school parking lot along with homemade ice cream. The Long Lake Public Library hosted a quilting expo, and a booster snack shack was open at the Wisdom soccer field from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The town park had inflatable slides, archery, carnival games, face painting and a dunk booth from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. And from 3 to 4 p.m., the watermelon contest was held at the park.
The Lakeview restaurant also hosted several events on Saturday, starting with an antique car show at 10 am and a cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. French Toast and Jerry “T” Thibeault provided live music at the Lakeview Campground from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
And the town’s historical society held a ribbon cutting for the Longfellow school on Saturday. The historical society physically moved the school from its original site in 2020. It now sits at the historical society’s Main Street museum complex.
On Sunday, the Long Lake Fishing Derby sponsored a youth fishing derby for ages 12 and under and the fire department held a chicken barbecue. The main street parade, which went from the town boat landing to the town garage, kicked off at 1 p.m.
The parade featured a total of 55 entrants, ranging from the town fire and police department, the American Legion, and a plethora of local businesses and organizations.
A lighted boat parade began at dusk, and the event was capped off by fireworks at the Lakeview Campground.
St. Agatha Town Manager Michelle Bernier said earlier this year that the town holds Summerfest once every five years, and that organizers will start planning as soon as the last one ends. Dozens of people involved in multiple organizations work together to plan each event.
