FOREST HERITAGE DAYS – AUG. 6th-9th, 2015
Forest Heritage Days returns Aug. 6-8
GREENVILLE — The popular Forest Heritage Days (FHD) event will return to Greenville Aug. 6-8, offering people of all ages a behind-the-scenes experience of Maine’s working forests. The free event is the only place in Maine where guests can take a bus tour through the state’s magnificent woods, try their hand at ax throwing, cheer on loggers as they race head-to-head in a speed cutting competition and eat a traditional bean hole dinner all in one weekend. Now in its 24th year, the festival has expanded to offer three days of family fun beginning Thursday, Aug. 6 through Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Greenville Consolidated School — 130 Pritham Avenue.
The free, family-friendly event honors the state’s most historic industry and celebrates Maine’s woods by combining education and entertainment, while maintaining a focus on forestry stewardship and sustainability.
“Maine’s forest products industry teaches us so much about our state’s history and economy, so we encourage everyone to come to the event and appreciate the forests that are so crucial to our state,” said Candy Russell, FHD committee member. “This free event is not only educational, it’s packed with fun activities for guests of all ages!”
The main attraction schedule is: Thursday, Aug. 6 “Maine Sporting Camps – Going, Going, Gone?” presentation 7 p.m. at the Center for Moosehead History.
Friday, Aug. 7 working forest bus tour 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — call 453-1119 for tickets
Aug. 7 Opening ceremony for new No. 4 mountain hiking trail 1:30 p.m. in Lily Bay, with optional 1.75-mile guided hike.
Aug. 7 Colby Woodsmen demonstration 3 p.m.
Aug. 7 Woodsmen supper 5 p.m., a traditional beanhole dinner and BBQ at the Greenville Masonic Hall.
Aug. 7 “Changing Forest” presentation 7 p.m. at the Center for Moosehead History.
Saturday, Aug. 8 Game of Logging Competition 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Aug. 8 Craft fair 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Aug 8 Chainsaw wood carving exhibition noon.
Aug. 8 Tim Sample comedy show 7 p.m. at the Greenville Consolidated School.
Sunday, Aug. 9 Woodsman’s breakfast 7 to 10 a.m. at American Legion Post 94.
In addition to the main attractions, the event will offer free horse and carriage rides, children’s activities, forestry exhibits, food and beverages and a Log-A-Load for Kids raffle to benefit local hospitals through the Children’s Miracle Network. Guests can enter the raffle to win a wood-carved bear and chainsaw.
Advanced registration is required for the working forest bus tour and Tim Sample show. For a full event listing and details, visit www.forestheritagedays.com or the FHD Facebook page.
FHD is an annual community event that honors the state’s most historic industry. The forest products industry has been a staple in Maine for generations and provides an annual economic impact of $8 billion, employs one in 20 Mainers and contributes 28.9 percent of all state exports.
Each year since 1991, families and community members gather to celebrate this vibrant industry with two days of forestry fun.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
CUT IT OUT — Chum Greaterex, left of Amherst, and Chris Maxim, of Chesterville, try to saw off a portion of wood in the speed cut as part of a past Game of Logging on the Greenville school grounds as part of the community’s annual Forest Heritage Days celebration. Lumberjacks from across Maine and Quebec take part in a dozen different events to measure their skills, with this year’s Game of Logging set for Saturday, Aug. 8.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TRYING NOT TO BOUNCE BACK — Andrew Marquis of St. Agatha finds just the right place to cut a downed tree to slowly relieve the tension and prevent a violent snapping, replicating the actions of a woodsman out in the field, during the 2011 annual Game of Logging as part of Greenville’s Forest Heritage Days. Eight competitors took part four years ago, with hundreds of spectators getting the opportunity to see some of the tasks the lumberjacks perform while they work in the forest.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
A NOTCH ABOVE THE REST — Attempting to make a pair of cuts meet in the double notch is Chris Maxim of Chesterville, a skill needed to bring down trees safely in areas where mechanical cutters cannot reach.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AVOIDING TOO MUCH FIBER — The ability to cleanly saw off a section of log is measured in the precision bucking event, as Chum Greaterex of Amherst tries to leave behind as few wood fibers as possible.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FELLING FELLOW — The final event of a previous Game of Logging was the tree felling, as competitors try to down a tree as precisely as possible to land in the middle of a target below the tree. Rene Valcourt of Fort Kent starts cutting after taking his readings and making his measurements.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TARGET IDENTIFIED — Mike Thurlow of Lee, the 1995 Game of Logging national champion, did not compete in 2011 but did provide a demonstration of the tree felling event for the crowd, as he enabled the log to land on target.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FINELY CRAFTED — On display at the Game of Logging were examples of handiwork such as the event sign and wooden tools.