VAN BUREN, Maine — Main street was packed with spectators as more than 30 brightly lit floats rolled through and kicked off the town’s seventh annual “Christmas Town” celebration on Saturday.
The event’s name comes from a moniker given to the town in the 1950s when its streets were lined with unique shops where people throughout the region bought holiday gifts. The name later faded, but was recently revived as a way to brand the town amid its recent revitalization efforts. The name coincides with other Van Buren events, including its annual “Christmas in July” summer festival.
This year’s event had a total of 34 groups that participated in the parade.
Judges picked County Electric for the best large float, and American Legion Post 49 for the best small float, while the Gateway Snowmobile Club received the Town Manager’s Choice award. The “Tasty Food” restaurant also won the award for Best Business Window Display.
Local business Maine-ly Meat ‘n Potatoes served food outside the Legion at 4 p.m. and the parade began at 5:30 p.m., starting at the Borderview Rehabilitation and Living Center on State Street, traveling down Main Street and ending at Valley Acres, formerly Laplante Heights.
At the Legion, chili was served in addition to food from York’s Kitchen. The Gayety Theatre, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving the town’s former Main Street cinema, also sold popcorn. Northern Maine Kolache Co. on Main Street also hosted a holiday party.
The town’s annual holiday festivities are organized by the Van Buren Revitalization Association (VBRA), which typically begins planning everything in the fall. Leslie Beaulieu, a spokesperson for the VBRA, said that 15 members of the association helped plan the event, which also includes a holiday scavenger hunt and a celebration at the local American Legion.
“The Legion was full after the parade,” Beaulieu said. “Children visited with Santa. There were organizations helping VBRA with things for the kids this year, which was nice.”
Beaulieu said every family left with a wooden “Van Buren Christmas Town” ornament, and that many families could be seen searching for items in the windows of local businesses as part of the festival’s holiday scavenger hunt.
“Overall it was a great success,” she said, “and it is always wonderful to see so many people out and about on Main Street.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story included incorrect information about which local organizations participated in the event.
