Malcolm Noyes, a former Westbrook city councilor and housing authority member, is this year’s grand marshal in the Together Days parade, Saturday starting at 10 a.m. on Main Street.
Noyes, who moved here with his family in 1961 to serve in the Coast Guard in Portland, has multiple ties to Together Days, including his son Stephen Noyes, who plays in Motor Booty Affair, the popular retro band that is playing during the festivities; and daughter Colleen Hilton, the city’s mayor who will walk in the parade as member of the City Council – the same as her father did more than 30 years ago.
The 34th annual event kicks off on Friday, May 31, at 4 p.m., at Riverbank Park, with a carnival and live entertainment that continue through Saturday. The event culminates Saturday night with a fireworks show sponsored by Idexx Laboratories.
In its second year is a 5K run on Saturday morning, to raise money for scholarships for the Westbrook High School graduating class of 2014. The carnival has rides and fair games with many nonprofit and community-supported organizations, like the Boy Scouts, operating tents and booths, including a dunking booth that often stars some of Westbrook’s well-known community members. The carnival also includes a petting zoo, pony rides and a moon bounce.
An auction will be held after the parade, starting at noon. More than $10,000 worth of donated items will be up for bid, including hotel stays, Celtic tickets, gift certificates for Funtown Splashtown, massages and restaurants and more.
Noyes talked recently about Together Days and the honor of being parade grand marshal.
Q: What does it mean to you to be grand marshal of the Together Days parade?
A: It’s an honor, a great honor. When [City Clerk] Lynda Adams called me, I was surprised and pleased.
Q: Do you have any big plans for your grand marshal debut?
A: I’ll be riding with my bride of 61 years – Mary Jane. Some know her as the cake lady; she’s made more cakes for people in Westbrook than anyone I know. We’ll have some candy to toss – just like we do at home. All the kids and grandkids come in the house and head for the candy cupboard.
Q: Have you received any advice from past parade marshals?
A: None, but I’ve enjoyed seeing my good friend and former Mayor Bill O’Gara lead a parade.
Q: What made you say yes to the offer to be grand marshal?
A: I said yes because the community has provided great service to my family over the years and I’m honored to be a part of the Together Days event.
Q: What is one of your favorite memories of Together Days?
A: I love when Motor Booty plays in the park because my son Stephen is the drummer and I love seeing all the people in the park dancing and enjoying the music. Another great memory is when my daughter-in-law Gloria Noyes, who was the Maine State Teacher of the year, was the emcee for the parade. And I also like seeing my daughter, the mayor, marching with the City Council as I did in the past. It’s a lot of fun to see my many great-grandchildren marching with their Little League teams.
Q: I know you and your family are involved in a number of organizations in Westbrook. Can you name a few you’ve been involved in?
A: I served on the City Council for three years in the 1970s, we were called aldermen back then and I represented Ward 1. I also served on the Westbrook Housing Authority commissioners for over 20 years and was the chair for over half of that time. I also served on the Rent Justification Board for Hamlet Coach Park, the Westbrook Public Safety commissioners, and the Building Committee for the new Public Safety Building. That’s about all I could handle between raising seven kids, 19 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
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