The annual Brooklin, Maine, 4th of July celebration is not a Taylor-Swift-like thing. Tickets don’t cost over $1,000, nor do 96,000 people attend. Come to think of it, there are no tickets for the Brooklin celebration. Everyone is invited, anyone may perform, and hundreds come to be part of small town family friendliness and fun, which is a priceless, disappearing experience.
There usually are three major stages to the Brooklin celebration: The Band, the Parade, and the Gathering at the Green. This year, there was light rain early in the morning, but it stopped just in time. The show went on, but umbrellas were ready.
As usual, the surprisingly good Brooklin Town Band met under the tall maples in front of the Friend Memorial Public Library. They filled the Town Center with music that made everyone walk a little lighter and sometimes uncontrollably burst into song.
The parade was led by a Brooklin Fire Department vehicle, followed by a contingent of fire fighters in dress uniforms. After that, as usual, things got — How shall I say it? — “eclectic” might be the word. But, I’ll let you decide by showing below images of the parade in the order of its flow. Unfortunately, space doesn’t allow for images of all participants.
(Phew! Yes, “eclectic” will work.) After the parade-ending fire truck, everyone gathered on the nearby Town Green, where the just-seen classic cars were displayed, games for children were played, community groups dispensed information, and good food was served and eaten under large tents.
The Brooklin Food Corps, which promotes the growth and consumption of local food, had a stand and the Rockweed Forum, which seeks to protect that plant from improper harvesting, had a table.
The games included the ever-popular “Dead Chicken Toss” (at a hole in a panel) and “Wet Sponge Toss” (at a neighbor). There also was very miniature golf for very miniature people and the difficult pole climb contest, which attracted a lot of fit kids and an appreciative audience that cheered the straining climbers.
It was a happy day. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on July 4, 2024.)