Live music, games and fireworks at Guilford’s Redneck River Festival

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    GUILFORD — Hundreds of fun-lovers are expected to converge on Guilford this Saturday for the Redneck River Festival, which begins with breakfast at the United Methodist Church from 7-9 a.m. and ends with live music and fireworks.

Observer file photo

    FUN RUN — This year’s Guilford River Festival will start, after breakfast at the United Methodist Church from 7-8 a.m., with a 1K kid’s fun run at 8 a.m. hosted by Friends of Community Fitness. A 5K will start at 8:45 a.m.

    “Everything is coming together nicely,” said Town Manager Tom Goulette. “Since this is the first year we’ve had fireworks, we’re expecting a record crowd. We’ve also got two very popular bands.” All events will take place at the ball field.
    A kid’s fun run gets under way at 8 a.m., a 5K road starts at 8:45 a.m. and registration information is available by calling 876-4813.
    The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. and many floats and entries are expected to embrace the “redneck” theme. There will also be units from the Anah Temple Shrine.
    The pig scramble, sponsored by Herring Brothers Meats, starts at 1 p.m. Rules and more information is available by calling 876-4395.
    Emerald Sky will be performing from 1-5 p.m., a pie eating contest takes place at 2 p.m. and the Rubber Duck Race launches at 3 p.m. There are three prices for three tiers of prizes this year: yellow ducks are $1, pink ones are $2 and blue ones are $5. The winners get $50, $125 and $250 respectively. Duck tickets are on sale at Goulette’s IGA, Forget Me Not Florist, the Red Maple and Key Bank.
    The Stillwaters Band will be on stage from 5-9 p.m. and fireworks will light up the sky at dusk.
    Another bonus to the River Festival is a treasure map from Forget Me Not Flowers designed to encourage people to visit other local businesses. Patrons can stop in at Key Bank, NAPA Auto Parts, Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union, Clark’s Restaurant, Guilford Memorial Library, Goulette’s IGA and Lovell’s Hardware, pick up a prize and have their map stamped. Completed maps can be turned in at the doughboy booth at the festival by 3 p.m. to be entered in a drawing for a gift card.

Observer file photo

    COVERED WAGON — Girl Scout Cassidy Rohdin, of Troup 1147 in Sangerville, throws candy from a covered wagon to the Guilford River Festival spectators during the parade last year. This year’s parade and festival theme will be “rednecks.”

    There will also be a cruise-in, craft and food booths, a softball tournament, a tsunami water slide, bounce house and other kid’s games.
    Committee volunteer Carrie Fellow said that she could also use volunteers to help make things run smoothly. “We could use folks to sell raffle tickets, hand out programs, direct traffic and help kids in and out of the bounce house — things like that,” Fellows said.
    Rubber Duck Race tickets are a little slow so far, said Fellows, but they should pick up toward the end of the week. “All the proceeds go toward building a community skate park, which we’ve been trying to do for the past six or seven years,” Fellows said. “Every year, it seems that the price of materials go up. So any support is really appreciated.”
    Volunteers can contact Fellows at 717-5271 or at Forget Me Now Flowers.