25th annual Maine Forest Heritage Days
GREENVILLE — The 25th annual Maine Forest Heritage Days is set to take place Aug. 12-14. The weekend includes a bus tour through Maine’s working forest, a craft fair, carriage rides, chainsaw carving, a murder mystery cruise aboard the Katahdin and a woodsman demonstration featuring chopping and ax throwing.
Observer file photo/Stuart Hedstrom
CAREFUL CUTTING — John Grignon puts his skills to the test by not cutting out the side of a block of wood — which would easily pop the balloons — in the precision bore event as part of last year’s regional Game of Logging competition at the Greenville school grounds during the Forest Heritage Days celebration. Grignon ended the day in second place out of five lumberjacks. The 2016 Game of Logging will be on Saturday as part of the 25th annual Forest Heritage Days.
“When we are talking about the forest industry in Maine, we’re talking about our state’s most historic industry,” said Angela Arno, executive director of the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce. “There is a lot of history behind our forest industry and Maine woods and it’s all very interesting stuff. But in addition to that, there is a lot of fun that can be had with it. This event has brought the historical elements together with fun activities for 25 years, and we’re looking forward to doing it again.”
The Forest Heritage Days events start Friday, Aug. 12 with most of the activities taking place, or starting at, the Greenville Consolidated School on Pritham Avenue. At 8:30 a.m. Friday, a six-hour tour of Maine’s magnificent woods will leave from the school, including educational stops, demonstrations, a ferry ride to view harvesting on Sugar Island and lunch at Casey’s Camps. Tickets are required, with information available at www.forestheritagedays.org.
Throughout the day on Friday, there is an opportunity to help construct ‚Ä“ and get a sneak peak of — one of the region’s newest trails with a work day at the Blue Ridge Trail.
The Colby Woodsmen demonstration begins at 3 p.m. with old-time logging skills on display like chopping and ax throwing. Into the evening on Friday, a woodsmen’s supper is offered at the Masonic Hall as well as the presentation of a documentary about Maine lumbermen“In the Blood” at 7 p.m. at the Center for Mooshead History.
On Saturday, Aug, 13 the day starts with the Big Squaw Fire Tower dedication at 9 a.m. at the Moosehead Lake Visitor Center.
At 10 a.m. a number of events get underway including the annual Game of Logging competition, a craft fair, free horse and carriage rides, exhibits and fun in the children’s area. The day includes a chainsaw carving exhibition at noon and Smokey the Bear promoting fire safety at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday wraps up with a Murder Mystery Cruise on board the Katahdin from 6-9 p.m.. Tickets for the cruise are available at www.katahdincruises.com.
On Sunday a woodsmen’s breakfast will be served with a menu fit for a lumberjack from 7-10 a.m. Throughout the weekend “The Woodsmen, The Steamboats, The Farms” exhibit will be on display at the Center for Moosehead History.
The complete schedule as well as information about ticketed events can be found at www.forestheritagedays.org or the event Facebook page.
Forest Heritage Days 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.