Hazardous waste collection

The town of Gray holds a household hazardous waste collection on Aug. 24. Gray residents and property owners can bring materials to the town’s sand and salt shed on Seagull Drive from 9 a.m. to noon. Proof of residency is required.

Acceptable materials include acids, ammonia, automobile cleaners, bleach, paints, degreasers, disinfectants, fertilizers, gasoline, moth balls, pest killers and more.

The town does not accept ammunition, asbestos, biological or medical waste, explosives, flares and fireworks or radioactive materials.

Transport materials separately and in their original containers if possible and clearly label known contents. For more information, contact Transfer Station Director Randy Cookson at 657-2343 or rcookson@graymaine.org.

Send your news about Gray happenings to Marilyn Keating-Porcaro at mkp657@aol.com.

Wild Blueberry Festival

The eighth annual Wild Blueberry Festival takes place Aug. 10 and fills Pennell Park and the parking lots at Gray Town Hall with food trucks, live music, artisans, crafters, a farmers market, community, school and church groups, a kids tent, blueberry and bee mascots and more.

The festival starts at 9 a.m. and goes to 3 p.m. Admission is free. To learn more, go to wildblueberries.me/grayfestival or email blueberryfestival@graymaine.org.

Legion Funday Ride

American Legion Post 86 is leading a Sunday Funday destination ride from Gray to Post 46 in Conway, New Hampshire, on Aug. 11.

Participants can take a car, truck, motorcycle or “anything else legal for the road,” according to an announcement from the Post. Meet at Post 86 at 9:30 a.m. to sign releases and check in and leave at 10 a.m., drive down and meet for lunch at 2 p.m.

The drive is 167 miles round-trip with stops planned at the Rusty Lantern in West Paris, and Road Hawg BBQ in Gorham, New Hampshire.

To join for lunch, sign up by Monday, Aug. 5, by completing forms at the canteen at 15 Lewiston Road, or contacting Dave McNally at 653-4424, or Richard Flynn at richard_flynn@comcast.net or 657-4884. Go to the Post 86 Facebook page for updates.

Mongol Derby Talk

Mongol Derby competitor Jessie Dowling of Maine will be discussing her participation in last year’s derby at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Gray Public Library.

For 10 days in August last year, Dowling rode 29 different horses for nearly 25 miles each day in the Mongol Derby. She will share photos of her time competing on the longest horse race in the world.

For more information, call the library at 657-4110 or go to graypubliclibrary.com.

Birthday bear

Maine Wildlife Park will have Food Truck Friday on Aug. 9, and White Fox Taverna will be on site from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Then on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 9:30 a.m., the park celebrates the 30th birthday of its resident black bear, Suzie.

The park opens at 9:30 a.m. and events for Suzie’s birthday are included with admission. At 11 a.m., a wildlife keeper will be at the black bear enclosure to talk about Suzie, black bear adaptations and how the park cares for its bears.

At 1 p.m., a black bear biologist from the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will discuss more about the species and how they are managed in Maine.

For more information, go to mainewildlifepark.com or call 822-6460. The park is located at 56 Game Farm Road.