Parade to boast Miss Junior Acton Fair, backhoe and politicians aplenty

The town's new backhoe in action last week digging ditches on Dixon Road. (Lebanon Voice/Harrison Thorp)

LEBANON - The inaugural Lebanon Festival Parade on Saturday promises to be a colorful affair, with a float-mounted cannon, a miniature Pinto horse and political candidates aplenty.

There will also be antique cars, along with Rescue and Fire vehicles and the town's shiny new yellow backhoe.

Anyone is welcome to join the parade, according to parade organizers, who are hoping that youngsters will perhaps decorate their bikes and join in the fun.

House 20 candidates Karen Gerrish, Bettie Harris-Howard and write-in candidate Harrison Thorp are also expected to queue up.

Selectmen will also have a car in the parade, with Junior Miss Acton Fair accompanying them in the procession.

Lebanon's American Legion Post 214 will ride in a float on which Lebanon resident Steve Wanager will have one of his vintage replica cannons on display. Wanager is also expected to fire one of his cannons at the festival.

The Lebanon Voice will also have a spot in the procession.

The parade will form at the Old Town Hall on Center Road at 9 a.m. Anyone involved in the parade is asked to be there by 8:30 to get lined up for the milelong route.

The festival, itself, will be held at the Hanson School Soccer Field located on Upper Guinea Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. rain or shine.

Once the parade is over, the festival will be in full gear, with nearly 40 vendors expected to participate.

The Lebanon Rescue Department will start everything off at 8:30 a.m. with a breakfast, from where you can watch the parade come onto the soccer field.

Admission is free, but festivalgoers are asked to bring nonperishable food items to be donated to the Lebanon Food Pantry.

Following are a few of the many festival attractions planned.

CAPTAIN, THE 32" PINTO MINI HORSE
ANTIQUE AUTO SHOW
APPLE PIE CONTEST AND AUCTION
RICHARD SMITH FAMILY MARTIAL ARTS DEMONSTRATION
BOY SCOUTS OUTDOOR DEMONSTRATION
BOUNCY HOUSE
KIDS ACTIVITY TABLE
KIDS GAMES
SILENT RAFFLE
FIRE DEPT SPRINKLER DEMONSTRATION
LIBRARY BOOK SALE
MUSIC STYLINGS OF JOE SAILOR
LOTS OF CRAFTERS AND VENDORS
There will also be a raffle! Some of the items you could possibly win are:

Hilltop Fireworks Gift Card
Dover Marine Gift Card
Covered Bridge Sports Gift Card
Farmfield Greenhouses Gift Certificate
Lebanon House of Pizza Gift Certificate
A Free Oil Change at Goulet's Auto
A Bouquet of Flowers made out of Chocolate
A Gift Basket from Milton Veterinary Hospital
Buy a ticket - 1 for $1 or 6 for $5 - and drop it in the bucket of your choice. Raffle drawing will be at 4:30 Festival Day.

Lebanon Festival sponsors include Spence and Mathews Insurance, Kennebunk Savings Bank, Batchelder Sales Inc., STS Construction, Phil's Fabrication, The Lebanon Voice, 4X4 Proving Grounds, Brian's Brake and Muffler and Thompson Auto Body LLC.

Contributors include Hilltop Fireworks, Dover Marine, Covered Bridge Sports, Farmfield Greenhouses, Lebanon House of Pizza, Goulet Auto Service and Milton Veterinary Clinic.