By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — The seasonal transition from pumpkins and gourds to peppermints and garland officially starts this Friday, and Limestone is making sure that the season starts with spectacular splendor.
Friday’s festivities are held at the Limestone Recreation Center and start with a coloring contest from 2 to 3 p.m. sponsored by the Aroostook Paranormal Investigation Society, followed by Letter Writing to Santa 101 from 3 to 4 p.m. Writers of all ages are welcome to pen their sentiments and requests to St. Nick, and the event wraps up with sugar cookie decoration from 4 to 5 p.m.; events are open to the first 30 Yuletide youths.
Friday is sure to be a lot of fun, but Saturday’s Light Parade is the main event. To be certain that everyone’s in holiday spirit, the Recreation Department is holding Fitness Caroling from 4 to 5 p.m. The adventure begins at the Limestone Community School where carolers will hop on a bus to Limestone Manor. Carolers will deck the Manor’s halls with a song or two before winding their way through the heart of the town, stopping at businesses along the way to spread cheer. As carolers will be touring the community on foot, Recreation Director Amanda Brooker reminds all potential participants to dress appropriately for the weather. The carolers will conclude their traveling holiday concert at Limestone Estates and will be bused back down to the old American Legion (the small white building right at the intersection of Route 1 and the Access Highway) for the Town Tree Lighting at 5:30 and to await the start of the parade at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s Light Parade is sure to brighten anyone’s season and with a theme of “Sounds of the Season,” merry music and notes of Noel will accompany the parade down its Main Street route to usher in Santa’s sleigh. The parade may be one of The County’s best-kept holiday secrets, but everyone from every community is invited to enjoy the seasonal event.
New to the parade this year is the Snow Express, which will follow behind Santa and make three stops along the parade route picking up children to bring back to the Recreation Center for additional holiday cheer. There are only 70 seats available on the Snow Express, which are distributed on a first-come, first-served-basis on whoever turns their slips in first. Slips are available at the Recreation Center and can be returned to Recreation Director Brooker to ensure that a Snow Express seat is reserved.
But for those who’d rather be in the parade than watch it pass them by, there’s still plenty of time to put together a float. Parade lineup begins at 5 p.m. at the Limestone Community School and prizes are being awarded in five different categories.
Because the holidays are more about giving than receiving, representatives of the Limestone Fire Department will be present at the parade collecting new, unwrapped donations for the annual Toys for Tots program.
