D-F Shiretown Homecoming returns this weekend
DOVER-FOXCROFT — This weekend the annual Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming and Foxcroft Academy’s 2019 Alumni Weekend together will feature a number of events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The festivities start Friday, Aug. 2 with the Piscataquis Observer and Zone Radio’s annual open house and cookout from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Media Central on East Main Street with free hot dogs, beverages and desserts. Manning the grill will be Dover-Foxcroft Police Chief Ryan Reardon.
Friday evening Foxcroft Academy hosts “1967: The Perfect Pony Football Season” to relieve the glory days of that season, from 5-7 p.m. at The Commons at Central Hall. Then from 7-9 p.m. will be a Friday Night Pony Party at The Commons at Central Hall. The evening will feature music by the Doughy Hill Band.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HERE COMES THE BRIDE AND GROOM — The 2017 Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming parade on celebrated the 95th anniversary of the union of the towns of Dover and Foxcroft and representing the municipal merger was Kylie Sands and James Watson. The 2019 “Home on the Range — Take 2” parade starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3.
A day of events on Saturday, Aug. 3 begins with the 23rd annual Pony Pride 5K at 8 a.m. (with registration beforehand). The Alumni Weekend road race features a course starting and concluding on the Foxcroft Academy campus.
Foxcroft Academy has a number of athletic events planned for Saturday. A tennis tourney starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Burns-Johnson Tennis Complex, with cash prizes going to the men’s and women’s winners. A Homecoming/Alumni Weekend Golf Scramble at the Foxcroft Golf Club features 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. starts. The school will host an alumni boys and girls basketball game at 9 a.m.
2019 marks the 97th anniversary of the joining of the towns of Dover and Foxcroft, and to celebrate the Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming Committee will be having a “Home on the Range — Take 2”-themed parade after last year’s procession was rained out. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds and will follow a route similar to past processions, along Fairview Avenue, Summer Street, North Street, East Main Street, Essex Street, and then the lower portion of Fairview Avenue.
The Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society Observer Building Museum will be open on Saturday until 2 p.m. A free blacksmith demo by John Calderwood of Etna will be from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the forge at 107 Dawes Road.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HOMECOMING FIREWORKS OVER SEBEC LAKE — A fireworks display is scheduled for around 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3 over Sebec Lake as part of the annual Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming festivities. During the evening the Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis concession stand will be open at the public beach area, and Rowell’s Garage is providing free shuttle bus service to and from the lake for the fireworks display with pick-ups at 8 and 8:30 p.m. at Foxcroft Academy.
Visitors to Foxcroft Academy can take a tour of campus at noon, meeting at the gym lobby entrance. Tours of the forthcoming Piscataquis County Ice Arena on West Main Street will be from 2-4 p.m.
In the evening, 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., the school hosts a reception and alumni banquet.
Festivities move to the Sebec Lake public beach in the evening, leading to fireworks shot off by Central Maine Pyrotechnics at dusk at around 9 p.m. (the fireworks rain date will be Sunday, Aug. 4).
The beach party starts at 4 p.m. at the municipal beach at Greeley’s Landing and includes dancing on the sand with Steve Pratt The Music Maker and beach games. The Dover-Foxcroft Kiwanis Club and Aktion Club of Mid-Maine run the concession stand, selling the usual fare of hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, drinks and more. There will also be glow trinkets on sale.
Rowell’s Garage will again be offering free shuttle buses to and from the beach, picking up at Foxcroft Academy at 8 and 8:30 p.m. and delivering attendees back into town post-show.
Foxcroft Academy’s Alumni Weekend concludes on Sunday, Aug. 4 with breakfast from 8-10 a.m. in the Pride Student Center. Reservations are requested.
For more information on the 2019 Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming, please see the event Facebook page. Additional details on Foxcroft Academy’s Alumni Weekend can be found at www.foxcroftacademy.org.