Sometimes, smaller places offer something extra-special to help area residents and visitors celebrate the Fourth of July, and Pushaw Lake is no exception, Roy and Elizabeth Martin of Glenburn told me.

Roy had left a voice mail asking me to call, but it was Elizabeth with whom I spoke to find out what makes this holiday so unusual at Pushaw.

“Every Fourth,” Elizabeth Martin explained, band leader “Ronnie Cunningham of Glenburn has a few pontoon boats tied together, as a flotilla,” and tours the lake, with his band, playing songs for your Fourth of July pleasure.

The band plays its own style of contemporary light rock and country music, according to a previous Bangor Daily News article, “and there is a lot of singing,” Martin said.

“They also have flags on their boats. It is just wonderful.”

And, she told me, many of the folks at the lake get in their own boats, pontoon and otherwise, and follow along, enlarging the flotilla and enjoying the performance of their own special Pushaw Lake “Music Man.”

If you would like to see and hear this unique Fourth of July Concert, midafternoon on Wednesday, July 4, (Martin said it usually occurs between 2 and 4 p.m.) you can do so at Gould’s Landing, which is a public-access area off Essex Street in Orono.

Hoping that our readers will jump on the Brewer brick bandwagon, Jim Pooler reminds you that in order to help maintain the new Brewer Veterans Memorial, which is located near the Brewer Auditorium, the city is selling engraved walkway bricks for $50 each.

The red bricks, which can be purchased in honor of anyone, from anywhere, in any branch of the service, living or deceased, will include the veteran’s name, rank and the war in which he or she served, or branch of service.

“We really want people to know that we are honoring all veterans,” Pooler stressed.

“You do not have to be a resident of Brewer to have a brick in your name.”

For example, Pooler said he purchased a brick in honor of a late Civil War veteran, William Doughty of Bangor, who is related to Brewer City Councilor Larry Doughty, and another brick in honor of Pooler’s late uncle, also a William Doughty, who was a resident of Brewer when he was killed in Korea.

You can obtain an application to purchase a walkway brick at the Brewer Recreation Department, which is located at Brewer Auditorium, 203 State St., or call the office at 989-5199.

Pooler said the application form includes a request for a brief biography of the individual for whom the brick is being purchased.

More information about this program also can be obtained by calling Pooler at 843-0534.

I’m sure just about everyone attending the Bangor-Brewer Fourth of July parade, which begins at 11 a.m. in Brewer and ends in Bangor, will recognize the parade’s 2007 grand marshal.

But, just in case you don’t know who he is, Kevin Carr of the sponsoring Bangor Breakfast Kiwanis Club is proud to announce that this year’s Fourth of July grand marshal is the highly honored, respected, longtime, well-known collegiate baseball coach, Dr. John Winkin of Bangor.

Carr also wants parade attendees to know that the current Husson College baseball coach served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

“The club is proud, and honored, to have Dr. Winkin as grand marshal for this year’s parade,” Carr wrote.

Here’s another special summertime event to which everyone is invited.

Carmen Smith reports that the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society will hold a Civil War Supper, with separate sittings at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, 10 West Main St. in that community.

The menu, prepared by “the Congregational ladies,” Smith wrote, consists of “baked beans, ham, coleslaw, rolls and homemade gingerbread with whipped cream.”

Then, Smith added, following the second sitting, you are invited to enjoy the entertainment of Eric Boothroyd of Midnight Flyer, who will lead a singalong.

The evening also features re-enactors, costumes, music, exhibits and special guests Mr. and Mrs. Hannibal Hamlin.

And, possibly, Smith wrote, “Mr. Lincoln” might be present.

Tickets for the event are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and are on sale at Mr. Paperback in Dover-Foxcroft or by calling 564-0820 or 564-2178.

Proceeds will benefit the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society and the Congregational Church.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.