BOWDOINHAM
In celebration of the town’s 250th anniversary, this year’s Celebrate Bowdoinham will kick off Friday and feature even more fun and entertainment than usual for all who attend, including a 250th birthday cake decorating contest and an evening display of fireworks on Saturday.
The events begin Friday with the grand opening and rededication of the historic Jellerson School from 2 to 5 p.m.; with the ribbon cutting at 2:30 p.m. The school, located at the corner of Brown’s Point and Centers Point roads, was built around 1850. As one of 18 one-room schoolhouses in town, it closed in 1946 due to a lack of pupils, according to a press release about the grand opening.
Attending the event will be Erla Browne Kelley, the only living Jellerson School teacher. She taught from 1933 to 1940 and was also a student there in the 1920s. Kelley’s sister Mary will also be on hand along with former town clerk Sylvia Edmondson, who attended the school from 1940 to 1945.
Entertainment begins at Mailly Waterfront Park along the Cathance River on Friday at 5 p.m. with music by Broadband. The Muddy Marsh Ramblers play at 6 p.m. and Maybe Utah at 7:30 p.m.
Bowdoinham’s Best contest opens Friday. Participants should drop off entries at the Mason’s Hall between 4 and 6 p.m. Friday. The hall will be open to the public Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Categories range from Bowdoinham-grown fruits and vegetables to crafts to two new categories: a local ecology display and 250th birthday cake decorating. The best cake decorator wins $250; second gets $50 and third-place gets a 250th commemorative plate. The commemorative plates will also be on sale Saturday along with commemorative hats and cookbooks.
Saturday’s events as always get started with the annual Bowdoinham Community School 5K Chicken Run and Kids Fun Run at 8 a.m. at the school. Registration Saturday is 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. and is $12 for participants 18 and under and $18 for adults. The 1-mile Kids Fun Run is free and starts at 7:45 a.m.
The Chicken Run will be followed by the annual parade at 10 a.m. The parade departs from the fire station on Post Road and travels down Post Road to Main Street, down Main Street to River Road (Route 24), and up Ridge Road.
Waterfront activities start at 11 a.m. Saturday and include the new flea market that will raise funds for Bowdoinham EMS and include a silent auction, children’s art activities at Cathance Place, a Bouncy House and Super Bungee as well as a dunk tank to raise money for a new skateboard park. On the dunk tank schedule are Steve Balboni, Emily Hollington, Sen. Seth Goodall, Rep. Seth Berry, Tony Cox, David Gouger, Jay Brown, Bob White and Lynn Spiro. It costs $2 for one ball or $5 for three balls.
Also beginning at 11 a.m. and running until 4 p.m. in the parking lot area behind the Merrymeeting Arts Center will be an open skate for skateboarding and skateboard demonstrations. At 1 p.m. a “game of skate” begins which is an opportunity for participants to find out who has the best skateboard tricks. Registration for the game starts at 12:30 p.m. There will be ramps brought in for the skate and some extra skateboard and protective gear for people who want to try out the sport.
New this year starting at noon will be helicopter tours of Merrymeeting Bay by Ed Friedman. Rides are $60 for 10 minutes for one adult or child passenger, or $90 for two small children. Ten percent of fares benefit Bowdoinham Historical Society and Friends of Merrymeeting Bay.
The Great KenDucky Derby Race starts at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The person whose duck crosses the finish first winds $500 and the person whose duck finishes last wins $100.
Several bands will perform at the gazebo throughout the day Saturday, including the Blues Buzzards at 7 p.m. According to Nicole Briand, the town planner who has been working with the town’s 250th anniversary committee, during the band’s break a 5- minute clip will play of Jeff Fischer’s documentary about growing up in Bowdoinham.
Fireworks will light up the sky starting at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Also as part of the 250th celebration, the Bowdoinham Fire Department will hold historical demonstrations starting at noon Sunday at the fire station on Post Road.
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