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Rangeley’s Logging Festival Friday & Saturday

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Bob Giles, World Champion Horse Trainer in the Logging Festival Parade
Bob Giles, world champion horse trainer marches in the Logging Festival parade in Rangeley last year. This year’s festival opens Friday.

RANGELEY – The 34th annual Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum’s Logging Festival is set to begin Friday, July 25 and will continue through Saturday, July 26. Yankee Magazine chose the Logging Festival weekend as one of the top 20 Maine events for 2014. Included in the events are the Little Mr. & Miss Wood Chip pageant, a student art contest, performance by the Missisquoi River Band, Logger’s Hall of Fame induction Friday evening and the Logging Festival parade, Lumber Jack & Jill logging competition, music food and other events at the logging museum on Saturday.

On Friday, Luc Morin and Leo Pepin will be inducted into the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum’s Logger’s Hall of Fame during the evening program which begins at 7 p.m. in the Church of the Good Shepherd on Main Street.

Born in 1925 in Saint-Martin, Québec, Morin began work in the woods at 16 years of age. From 1948 to about 2013, he logged all over western Maine. A resident of Weld, Morin still cuts all of his own firewood. Accepting the award for Pepin of Stratton (1930-2012) will be his wife, Lucille, and other family members.

Born in Notre-Dame-Des-Bois, Québec, Pepin began work in the woods as a young man. Once in Maine, he worked for the Brown Company and then served as foreman for Adrian and Andrew Brochu for close to 20 years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. This year’s nominees were chosen by a committee of loggers and Museum volunteers, including Mark Beauregard of Beauregard Forestry & Earthwork, Rangeley; Joe Haley of M&H Logging and Construction, Rangeley; and Lance White of White’s Land Management, Dixfield.

The parade’s organizer, Linda Sikes said parade and float entries are still being accepted in this year’s Logging Festival parade that begins 10 a.m. at the Rangeley Inn. The parade theme this year is “Celebrating Rangeley’s Heritage” and the parade route moves along Main Street/Route 4 through town. Contact Sikes at 207-491-6566 if you’d like to participate in the parade.

Those who have already submitted their intentions of being in the parade include: The Old Crow Band, Castle’s Carousals, Maine State Police & Warden’s Service Honor Guard, motorcycles, ATV Oquossoc Club, Gray Ghost with RFA performers, antique cars, and local horse groups. Floats to date include New England Pond Hockey with Koob’s truck, The Rangeley Inn & Tavern, Sarge’s Pub, and Boss Power Equipment with Loon Lodge.

The family of Elijah “Tiger” White Sr. will celebrate the 20th Anniversary that Elijah’s “Muscles One” skidder was donated to the Logging Museum. The White Family have been hard at work restoring Muscle’s One in time so it will debut as a special presentation in the Logging Parade. Be sure to look for Muscle’s One and follow the parade to the Logging Festival where the White family will be available both inside and outside on the museum grounds to talk about Muscles’ history.

Lumber Jills compete in the crosscut competition last year.
Lumber Jills compete in the crosscut competition last year.

On Saturday, the festival begins immediately after the parade. The event includes more than 30 woodworkers and fiber artisans showing off their wares. Talented wood carvers and woodworkers not only showcase their work, most will also provide live demonstrations of their skills to the audience.

The Lumber Jack and Lumber Jill logging competitions start at 11:30 a.m. Saturday on the museum’s grounds. Stihl is sponsoring the logging competition again this year with cash prizes and the overall winner of both the men’s and women’s competition win a new Stihl chainsaw.

The traditional Bean-hole Dinner with Reflector Oven Bakewell Cream biscuits, sponsored by New England Cupboard, will be held from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Schedule of events:

Friday, July 25 – Festival Kicks off

10 to 5pm-Museum open all day
11 to 1pm-Bluegrass & traditional music performed by the Missisquoi River Band
1 to 3 pm-Bob Giles, Horse Logging Down East Maine in the 50’s & 60’s with two teams of draft horses
3 to 4 pm-Lance White & Muscles #3 (skidder) demonstration
12 to 4 pm-Slide presentation of Elijah “Tiger” White, Sr., the White family; logging and the history of Muscles one and on.
*Mid-Day-preparation of the burying of the bean-hole beans.
*Mid-Day-Bakewell Cream biscuits baked on reflector ovens (sponsored by New England Cupboard of Hermon, ME)
*Trails open throughout the day; take a short hike on the trails to Haley Pond
7 to 9 pm-Friday Evening Program ($4 Entrance Fee)
Little Mr. & Miss Wood Chip, Student Art Contest, performance by the Missisquoi River Band, Logger’s Hall of Fame Induction

Saturday, July 26 Festival Day and Parade

10:00 Parade begins
10:00 – Museum open 10:00 to 5:00 pm
11:00 – Gates open immediately following parade. $5 admission for adults; children 12 and under get in free
11:30 to 2:30 pm – Bluegrass & traditional music by Missisquoi River Band
11:30 to 1:30 pm – Bean-hole Dinner with Reflector Oven Bakewell Cream biscuits sponsored by New England Cupboard
11:30 – 3 pm Lumber Jack & Jill Logging Competition (sponsored by Stihl)

*Continuous slide presentation of Elijah “Tiger” White, Sr., the White family; logging and the history of Muscles one and on.
*On the fairgrounds, The Elijah “Tiger” White family with Muscles
*All Day chainsaw carving demonstrations by Ron Cowan, The Garden Muse/ Garden Faces and Nancy & John Arsenault of Always Carving
*All Day woodworker and fiber artisans demonstrations
Slide presentation of Elijah “Tiger” White, Sr., the White family; logging and the history of Muscles one and on.
*Trails open throughout the day; take a short hike on the trails to Haley Pond
*Barrel train rides for the children

Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum is located at 221 Stratton Road in Rangeley. For more info, go to www.rlrlm.org or 864-3939.

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