The town of Limestone held their annual Holiday Tree Lighting, as well as the town’s celebratory Light Parade on Saturday, Nov. 29, in order to usher in the holiday season.
This year, the theme for the light parade was Christmas movies. With the town and all parade participants full of holiday cheer, they lined Main Street to view the brightly lit floats as they passed by, despite the frigid temperature on that cold winter night.
The town’s tree lighting celebration kicked-off at 5:30 p.m. at the Rotary Park on Main Street. The Limestone Community School’s 2015 Project Graduation members were in attendance passing out hot cocoa, apple cider and other treats, and the Limestone Masons came out to provide delicious dough boys to the crowd.
Parade participants were asked to meet at the Limestone Community School prior to the start of the light parade beginning at 5 p.m. The float builders lined up their cars, trucks and tractors and completely filled the LCS parking lot with their cheerfully decorated creations.
At 5:30 p.m., judges surveyed the LCS parking lot and scored each float individually in order to assign winners in four different categories including, “Best Theme,” “Best Lights,” “Most Creative” and “Best Business Entry.”
The winners of this year’s awards were as follows:
The award for “Best Theme” went to the Limestone Community School’s Project Grad 2015 with their Charlie Brown Christmas themed float, which included all the characters like Snoopy, Woodstock and, of course, Charlie Brown himself.
The award for “Best Lights” was given to Randy Leavitt and his Leavitt Farms float. Leavitt’s float was pulled by his farm’s Kubota tractor, which was lined with lights and was hauling a group of young elves and a giant inflatable Santa Claus.
The winner for the “Most Creative” float in this year’s light parade went to the Limestone Cub Scout Pack 193, who packed what appeared to be an entire classroom, full of desks and students, onto the back of the truck bed. Attending the classroom float were Angela Poitras, who was dressed as a snowman, Lianne Lapierre, who acted as the class’ teacher and Cub Scouts Evan Lapierre, Jake Beaulieu, Kadin Huntley, Kaleb Poitras, Carsen Poitras, Evan Rozakis, Brayden Thibodeau, Gage Theriault and Nathan Morrow.
The “Best Business Entry” award winner for this year’s light parade went to Valarie O’Neal for her “Talk of the Town” float. The float was accompanied by O’Neal and Roz Mulherin, who both walked alongside the float. Danielle Paradis played the part of Mrs. Claus, as she wrapped up in her blanket and read Christmas stories to children around the fireplace. Jessica Paradis, Nicholas O’Neal, Abagail Mulhern and Real Tweed also rode on the float and listened intently to Mrs. Claus’ story time.
Ann Whitehead, who worked along with Michelle Albert to help coordinate the parade, said that the event was a great success and that everyone involved left full of holiday cheer.
“As in past years the community really came together to kick off the season,” said Whitehead. “Parade participants included several local area businesses, Grammies Treasures/Poitras Service, Al-Bear’s Sub Shop, Talk of the Town, and Limestone farmers were represented by both Edgecomb and Leavitt Farms.”
After the judges had time to examine each and every float with a careful Christmas eye, they sent the floats off to journey down the steep hill on Main St., where they gradually made their way to the end of their destination, which concluded in front of Mike’s Family Market.
“The parade was led off by the Limestone Fire Department and Little Miss Limestone, Abby St Peter. And, of course, It wouldn’t be a Limestone parade without our very own Elvis,” said Whitehead. “The Limestone Water Department got in on the fun too,” Whitehead added. “Other organizations that also participated were The Limestone Ski Club, LCS Project Grad 2015, Cub Scout Pack 193, and the Aroostook Paranormal Investigative Society (TAPIS).”
Winners of the awards each received $20 in “Chamber Bucks” to be spent at any Chamber member business in Limestone.
“Despite the cold everyone was very festive and anxious for the parade to start. The Christmas movie theme was lots of fun and added to the high spirit of the evening,” Whitehead added. “The Santa Express Bus also stopped along the parade to pick up passengers to visit with Santa after the parade was finished.”
