Old Town ready to kick off 10th Riverfest

OLD TOWN – Old Town Riverfest will mark its 10th anniversary with a full weekend of activities Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

The festival kicks off with the Old Town High School Homecoming football game at 7 p.m. Friday at Victory Field.

A street dance with DJ Dale Saucier, featuring a tribute to Elvis by Joey Loring, will be held 7-9 p.m. Friday.

Fireworks will be held at 9:15 p.m. at Riverfront Park, then the street dance will continue from 9:30 to 11 p.m.

Saturday begins with registration for the 5K Remembrance Walk-Run, 7-8:30 a.m., and the walk-run itself at 8:30 a.m.

The Old Town High School Booster Club pancake breakfast will be held beginning at 7 a.m.

The annual Riverfest Parade begins at 10 a.m. at Old Town High School, proceeding down Stillwater Avenue and Main Street to the Holy Family Church parking lot.

The festival grounds will be open 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

The University of Maine band performs at 11:30 a.m. and the UM forestry department offers wood-cutting demonstrations from noon to 2:30 p.m.

The Knights of Columbus will sponsor bingo noon-3 p.m., and a public safety open house is scheduled for 1-4 p.m.

The band Mark Miller and Guests will perform 2:30-4 p.m.

The Riverfest bean supper will be sponsored 4:30-6 p.m. by the Knights of Columbus at Holy Family Parish Hall.

The semipro Warriors benefit football game will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Victory Field.

Concessions for the day include the Elks’ Famous Chicken Barbecue; the Old Town Boosters’ hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and doughboys; Indian tacos and seafood sandwiches.

Pony rides are back. There will be canoe and kayak demos and rides on the river. The Step in Time Cloggers will perform, and the Masons will offer the Child ID Program.

Games and events will include the ball bounce, giant moon walk, laser tag and boot camp sponsored by PACE Local 80. There will be children’s games, and the Sheriff’s Department will do an IRIS scan for children.

On Sunday, a fun dog show and the Blessing of the Animals will be held at 1 p.m. at the Old Town-Orono YMCA. Registration for the event is noon-1 p.m.