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Maine Papermakers & Wood Products celebration Aug. 29

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Comedian Father Guido of Chisholmore Falls, who is described as "old, confused and p----d off," will complete the day's events performing 6:30 p.m. at Murray Hall.
Comedian Father Guido of “Chisholmore Falls,” who is described as “old, confused and p—-d off,” will cap off the day’s events performing 6:30 p.m. at Murray Hall.

LIVERMORE FALLS – More than a century ago, the first pulp and paper mills in Maine were built along the Androscoggin River in the Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls area.

The loggers and papermakers, along with the wood products they produced, provided  a rich heritage that will be celebrated in an all-day event on Saturday, Aug. 29. Sponsored by Maine’s Paper and Heritage Museum, the events start with a 5K run at 9 a.m. and the many festival activities, 10 a.m. at the recreation field behind the Livermore Falls Town Office.

Organizer Sherry Judd noted that the announcement four days ago  on Thursday by Verso that there will be a 40 percent reduction in its Androscoggin Mill workforce is all the more reason to get together and show support for those workers who will be impacted by the layoffs.

The Verso Corporation, which produces coated paper and dried market pulp at the mill in Jay, said it will be shutting down the No. 1 pulp dryer and the No. 2 paper machine sometime in this year’s fourth quarter.

“We are going on as planned,” Judd said on Monday. “We want to encourage everyone to come. We’re looking forward to celebrating the talents they have, to celebrate who they are.”

Many activities for the whole family will be held through the day and will be capped off by a performance by  comedian Father Guido of “Chisholmore Falls,” who is described as “old, confused and p—-d off.” The  performance  begins 6:30 p.m. at Murray Hall on Main Street.

Children’s activities all day include log train rides, face painting, paper maché creation fun with a story time with children’s book author, Nancy Prince of Wilton, to be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the recreation field. Bob and Tami Wayboer of Shadow Hill Farm of New Gloucester will be bringing a few of their alpacas in the petting farm next to their vendor display of alpaca wares.

Lumberjacks will be demonstrating their craft at the
Lumberjacks will be demonstrating their craft at the Maine Papermakers & Wood Products celebration Aug. 29 at the recreation field in Livermore Falls.

For the whole family, Matt Galambos of the New England Association of Lumberjacks and Sheridan “Shed” Doyle of Doyles’s Tree Service will be demonstrating the art of axe throwing, wood chopping, hot sawing (with a big powerful motorcycle engine powered chainsaw), and hand sawing. The demos will be held at 1 and 2:30 p.m. at the field.

Wood-Mizer of Northern New England will be on hand with a demo of logs pulled out of the Kennebec River from the log drives.

Spruce Mountain’s Skilled Robotics Team will be on hand to demonstrate their talents as well. Area papermakers and loggers will be sharing their stories and a special tent will be setup for quarter century members.

The Paper & Heritage Museum of Maine will be open all day with an exhibit on Androscoggin Mill’s 50 years in Jay. The museum is located at 22 Church Street in Livermore Falls.

Papermakers and loggers and their products will be celebrated on Aug. 29 in Livermore Falls.
Papermakers, loggers and their products will be celebrated on Aug. 29 in Livermore Falls.

Western Maine mountains poet and storyteller, Gaylon “Jeep” Wilcox of Rangeley, will be performing from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Wilcox has traveled throughout the United States and was formerly featured as a guest on the New England television show, Chronicle providing his intriguing, Maine-inspired poetry and storytelling.

WKTJ will be present from 10 a.m. to noon and Paul Bright will be singing at the gazebo from 11 a.m. to noon. A surprise singer will also be performing in the afternoon.

Horseshoes and pick up softball games for the adults will be going on, along with a 5K run, sponsored by Fitness Styles Gym, which starts at 9 a.m. at the recreation field. To register for the 5K, contact Tom Roy, 207-897-5978 or sign up at the field beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The Wilhelm Reich Museum will be visiting, as will many wood and craft vendors. Among them will be John and Nancy Arsenault of Always Carving who will be providing demonstrations on premises throughout the day with chainsaw carvings. They will also have a wide variety of their carvings available for sale.

The celebration will be capped off by a visit from a local favorite comedian, Father Guido of “Chisholmore Falls” at 6:30 p.m. in Murray Hall. Tickets are $12 each. No tickets will be sold at the door, but contact Sherry Judd at 592-1807 or sjudd1807@gmail.com for advance tickets.

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1 Comment

  1. Not much to celebrate nowadays. Lots of sad days ahead for a lot of people in the paper business.

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