There’s big doin’s in Buxton this weekend at the Buxton Community Day. The annual fair this year features new highlights, including a pig scramble and frog-jumping contests for kids’ along with a live TV broadcast.
Two days of fun, food and entertainment kicks off at noon Friday, July 24, at Weymouth Park, intersection of routes 202 and 112, and continues all day Saturday, July 25, concluding with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
“You’re not going to be bored,” said May Schumacher, chairwoman of the community day. “There’s fun things for families to do,” she said.
TV meteorologist Charlie Lopresti of Channel 13 plans to forecast the weather live from Weymouth Park on Friday on the 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Lopresti, chief meteorologist at Channel 13, is a Buxton resident.
“We’re ecstatic,” Schumacher said about Lopresti’s appearance.
Schumacher is praying it won’t rain. “It’s a good thing I don’t have his e-mail address,” she said referring to Lopresti. “I’d be driving him crazy.
Schumacher said WPOR radio would be broadcasting live at the fair 3-5 p.m. on Friday.
In a traditional feature on Saturday, the parade with vintage vehicles and local groups will step off at 10 a.m. from Salmon Falls Road and Depot Street, proceeding along Route 112 to Weymouth Park.
Parade units will include Buxton police, Buxton and Hollis fire departments, the monster fire truck “Big Red,” scouts, four Kora Shrine units, antique tractors, race cars from Beech Ridge, cloggers, St. Andrew’s Pipes and Drum Corps and the Maine Public Safety Pipe and Drum Corps.
During the parade, balloons and candy will be given away to children.
Organized by Buxton Recreation Department, a 5k road race, escorted by Buxton police, begins at 8 a.m. Saturday. Pre-registration is $8 or $18 with a T-shirt. Registration the day of the race is $2 more and a registration table opens at 7 a.m. in front of the Brewster mansion.
Tashia Geaumont, director of Buxton Recreation Department, said maps would be available of the route and the race would be professionally timed this year.
“Buxton is going high tech now,” Geaumont said.
A free fun run for children starts at 8:30 a.m.
Fair food promises to be plentiful again under a big tent at Weymouth Park with Hollis Lions Club hosting a pancake breakfast 8-9:30 a.m. Saturday and a bean supper served by members of Bar Mills Community Church 5-6:30 p.m.
Buxton Community Day also includes the annual Dorcas Society fair with lunch served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. under a tent on the lawn at Tory Hill Church. Beverly Atkinson of the Dorcas Society said lunch would include sandwiches, hot dogs and homemade blueberry cake topped with whipped cream.
The food booths and carnival at Weymouth Park will open at noon on Friday. At 7:30 p.m., an outdoor movie doubleheader – “Fievel Goes West” followed by “City Slickers” – on Friday will be shown on a 22-foot movie screen. “I think people will love it,” Schumacher said.
A variety of music will be ongoing at Weymouth Park during the fair and the Don Campbell Band will play at 6 p.m. Saturday.
For the kids, a frog-jumping contest is slated for noon Saturday with a pig scramble at 3 p.m. A horseshoe tournament is set for 1 p.m. in addition to a ladies’ frying pan toss.
Local author Jim Libby will sign copies of his book “Buxton,” at the Buxton-Hollis Historical Society table, which will be open 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
A Revolutionary War re-enactment camp will set up at Helen Bruce Park. Across from the park, the barn at the historic Dr. Royal Brewster mansion built in 1805 will be open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday. Free tours of the mansion’s grounds will also be available.
For shoppers looking for bargains, the Dorcas Society will have a raffle table and sell crafts along with high-end consignment items.
Sponsors of Buxton Community Day include Hollis Lions Club, Derrick Desjardins and Buxton Masons, U.S. Army, Reynolds Motorsports and Bruce Emery and family. The Narragansett #1 Foundation donated $11,000 for the fireworks.
Schumacher called community day a country celebration and “a super fun time.”
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