ALFRED — Supporters of the Parsons Memorial Library are once again stepping away from the shelves and onto the parade grounds with the Library Cart Drill Team.
The drill team, which will feature about a dozen people pushing six carts, will be one of the highlights of the Alfred Festival parade, which travels through the center of town at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“It’s world class,” joked Parsons Memorial Library Director Gus Hedden. Hedden said the library had its first drill team in the parade in 2007, and has participated in the parade several times since. The drill team has won first place multiple years in parade contests.
“People in town love it,” Hedden said.
Custodian Shaun Rowe acts as the drill sergeant.
“He calls out commands and we obey,” Hedden said.
A group made up of staff, patrons and community members will volunteer at Saturday’s parade. Some may not touch a cart until the day of the parade, but it won’t take them long to learn what’s expected of them, Hedden said.
“It’s pretty casual. A lot of times, we don’t even practice,” Hedden said.
The routine changes each year. For some parades, the routines have been “slow and simple,” in other years they have been more complicated, like the year he and Rowe did weaves, he said.
“That was just killer. It looked really cool,” Hedden said.
This year, the theme of the parade is “Libraries are Forever,” and though Hedden has been appointed one of the Grand Marshals, he will instead maintain his loyalty to the drill team and perform with other drill team members. He said he will be represented in the Grand Marshal’s car by a print out of his face, which will be held by a local child.
Also on Saturday, the library, at 27 Kennebunk Road, will host a book sale at the from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, with a large selection of used books, DVDs and CDs.
During the last hour of the sale, there will be a special — $3 for a bag of books.
“You would be amazed what people can fit in a bag,” said Friends of the Library member Beth De Wolfe.
The money from the sale goes toward library functions such as the summer reading program and visiting authors.
“This is our major fundraiser,” De Wolfe said.
In addition to the parade and other library activities, the Alfred Festival will feature several other events, beginning Friday with a chilli, chowder and pie cook-off at 5:30 p.m., followed by live music.
The fun continues on Saturday at 6 a.m. with a breakfast sponsored by the Lion’s Club. There will be food booths all day, crafters at the village green from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and following the parade, there will be dance demonstrations, a tractor pull, church tours, pony rides, children’s games and other activities. The Village Museum will also be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday evening there will be a bean supper at Alfred Parish Church, music in the park and a family movie at dusk.
Sunday activities include a tractor pull at Sweet Bridge Road, ca onservation commission family picnic at Brothers Beach and a 5 p.m. concert at the Shaker Museum.
For a complete schedule of events, go to www.facebook.com/
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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