Today was a perfect summer’s day: sun, blue skies, temperatures in the mid-70’s (F), good breezes rustling lush leaves, and – best of all – Brooklin’s Independence Day celebration.
That celebration is regionally famous for its fun and diversity. It began with rousing music by the Brooklin Band. They played in the dappled light under the maple trees on the Friend Memorial Library lawn, across Bay Road from the General Store.. Listeners, young, old, and in-between gathered in the shade on the Library lawn and steps, eventually turning into a crowd.
Starting at 10 a.m., there was a parade of flags, firetrucks, floats, , classic cars, and people who just decided to march down the middle of Naskeag Road because they were in the mood. Leading the way was a color guard of veterans marching with Old Glory and a prisoners of war flag, followed by a veterans’ organization truck.
After the Stars and Stripes passed (often to applause), there came a banner celebrating the 75th anniversary of Brooklin’s Fire Department, as well as that Department’s big Engine 2. Other fire trucks were interspersed in the parade, including one from nearby Sedgwick.
Creative floats also were interspersed throughout the parade with themes such as the brown-tailed caterpillars and their moths; prom night; role reversals with lobsters cooking a human; a Brooklin Food Corps takeoff on a John Lennon song, but now named “Give Peas a Chance,” Candy Land that also was Balloon Land, and a just-married announcement
Classic and semi-classic cars and trucks paraded in random order interspersed within the parade:
After the parade, there was the usual friendly get-together of full-time- and summer-residents, neighbors catching up on the news and meeting tourists on the Town Green. Among other things, there were children’s games there, including the renowned Dead Chicken Toss, the Huge Greased Pole Climb, and the Wet Sponge Toss.
There also was more music on the Green, classic car displays, and delicious food in the form of roasted chicken meals with corn, potato salad, coleslaw and watermelon, as well as hot dogs. The food lines were long, but efficient volunteer servers kept them moving quickly.
It was a Happy 4th in Brooklin this year,
