Limestone continues ‘American Spirit’ party

LIMESTONE – Small-town America is celebrating the Fourth of July weekend, and the oldest, possibly the biggest, Fourth of July parade in Aroostook County, aptly called “American Spirit,” will be in Limestone at 1 p.m. Monday.

It is part of a weeklong celebration of American independence in the central Aroostook community along the edge of the Maine-New Brunswick border.

“The real, real long parade has a little bit of everything, including floats from surrounding towns, and all kinds of queens,” Rebecca Rackler, director of Greater Limestone Chamber of Commerce, said Friday.

“Everyone gets involved, and we usually have all kinds of farm equipment, new and all the old machinery,” she said. “There’s something for everyone.”

After the parade, the fun continues at the town’s recreation area at Trafton Lake. There will be food, games for the kids, pony rides, and fireworks at dusk.

It actually has been a weeklong festival at Limestone that started June 25 and continues through the weekend.

This morning the Methodist men are serving a pancake breakfast, and the Rotary Club is having its four-person team golf tournament at Limestone Country Club.

There’s also a youth stamp camp at 10 a.m. at the Limestone Community School cafeteria, and a barbecue at 11:30 a.m.

Saturday afternoon, the Limestone Historical Society will hold an open house, and Kelley’s Restaurant is hosting a 1 p.m. book-signing event at which people can meet author R.E. Starr. He will be signing his book “Welcome to the Ahwahnee,” which is partly based in Limestone.

The book, about the forces of good and evil, crisscrosses the country from Limestone to Seattle and Yosemite National Park.

Among other events, there will be hayrides, a scavenger hunt, children’s games, a barbecue and a bonfire at Trafton Lake later in the afternoon and evening.

On Sunday, a softball tournament will start at 11 a.m. Children’s games are scheduled in the evening, and a street dance on Foster Avenue will start at 8 p.m.

On July 4, there is another golf tournament at the Limestone Country Club, starting at 8 a.m.. Beginning at noon in the old Irving parking lot are a pedal tractor pull, free Humvee rides by the Maine Military Authority, and a bike decorating contest.

“It’s done every year,” Rackler said. “Things have been and are going very well.

“We’ve had excellent turnouts at activities,” she said. “People are having fun.”