If you’re looking to get off the beaten path and take part in a cool rural Independence Day celebration, here’s a suggestion: Head to Grand Lake Stream, where the locals and visitors take their July 4th festivities pretty seriously.
Grand Lake Stream (population 150), is a Maine rural gem, sitting along the banks of (you guessed it) Grand Lake Stream, and bordering West Grand Lake and Big Lake. Simply put, if you can’t find some outdoor fun in this town, you ought to enlist the help of a local Cub Scout to teach you what you’re missing.
Events for the annual “Grand Lake Stream, America” celebration are scheduled to run from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Among the activities on tap:
- Games in the park for children
- A 3-mile race
- Frog races
- Tubing on the stream
- The world’s best parade by a dam site (there is, after all, a dam at West Grand Lake), featuring antique and classic cars, trucks, tractors, bicycles, horses and bands.
- A food tent, featuring the area guides’ “world renowned” barbecue chicken dinner and strawberry shortcake.
- Entertainment including internationally known bluegrass singers The Burn Sisters.
For more information, go to grandlakestream.org.