FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine – A new holiday tradition has quickly picked up speed in Fort Fairfield.
For the third year, the town held an annual light parade Saturday night, featuring over 40 floats from community members and groups.
Hundreds of cars lined both sides of Main Street in the two hours leading up to the event. As the start time drew closer, many people stood outside their vehicles, waiting as the first police cruisers, blaring Christmas music, turned from Forest Avenue.
The spectacle included floats with the traditional snowmen, reindeer, Santa Claus and other Christmas images but many took their creativity to the next level.
Fort Fairfield’s latest pageant queens – Brianna Osterblom, Miss Fort Fairfield; Lainey Rochford, Junior Miss Fort Fairfield; and Aubrey McLaughlin, Little Miss Fort Fairfield – won first place for Best Youth Float.
The girls waved to the crowd surrounded by inflatable palm trees and totem poles. A grass skirt hung below their platform on the Rathbun Lumber Company truck that pulled them down the street.
U.S. Border Patrol won Best General Float for their take on a holiday TV classic. Locals dressed up as The Grinch and his dog Max, the latter of whom was seen in front of an antique snowmobile. The Grinch stood behind a few of his human friends in the snowmobile.
R&J’s Market was the Best Business Float, with multi-colored lights strung across the side and top beams of an enclosed canopy.
All three winners received a $150 cash prize for their entries.
As of Saturday evening, 35 floats were signed up for the parade but several others joined the line at the last minute, marking even more growth for the event, said Police Chief Matthew Cummings, who helped organize it.
“Overall, the community wants to see this event grow. We want to see people out and about enjoying the season,” Cummings said.
