Washington County Children's Program

WCCP and the Blueberry Festival – a 33-year tradition

The Children's Program has been part of the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival since both entities were created in the mid-1970s. On the Friday night of Blueberry Festival,* hundreds of children and parents line up on upper Main Street for the Children's Parade. WCCP hands out dozens of bright blue balloons and the parade sets off around 6 p.m., trooping down Main Street and up Centre Street. Tricycles, wagons, doll carriages and strollers are all welcome. Surprise participants such as pied piper Gene Nichols, children's entertainers, Bruce the Moose, and the Tooth Ferry may be on hand.

When the parade ends, the participants and public join either at Bangor Savings Bank or at the Performing Arts Center up at UMM for free live entertainment sponsored by WCCP's Board of Directors. This past summer, Dinoman laughed everyone back to the Jurassic Period with his antics. In 2008, our scheduled entertainment is the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers with their original play, The Banana Kid. This play featuring handmade puppets and Mt. Desert Island puppeteers will be staged at the UMM PAC.

Everyone is welcome to take part in these free events! Come one, come all to the 2008 Festival, August 12-17, 2008. The Children's Parade and Entertainment will be on Friday night, August 15. Parade lineup is at 5:45 p.m. at Machias Valley Baptist Church parking lot.

In the meantime, enjoy these photos of our 2007 event. (Click small images to view larger photo.)

  • Several young blueberries catch a ride in the parade.
  • Dinoman, our post-parade entertainment, keeps a tight rein on his creatures.
  • Jane Weil, WCCP's founder, her husband Peter, and an early WCCP funder, Jane DeWeerd of Virginia, enjoy the festivities on Friday night at the festival. The three served as Grand Marshalls for the Children's Parade this year.
  • Talented staffer Jen Wood with signs she made for our parade route.
  • Two participants get ready to ride in Whitney's Rental train in the Children's Parade.
  • A child tries out the train caboose before the parade begins.
  • A trio of ladies in pink marches down Main Street in Machias during the Children's Parade.
  • Ahoy there, matey! A Children's Parade participant.
  • WCCP Board member Sarah Gabrielson wearing the winning hat from the Blueberry Hat Contest sponsored by Sarah's Wooly Barn yarn store. Sarah held the contest to benefit WCCP. The winning hat was made by Beth Roy.
Click gallery number to view more photos »»
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Washington County Children's Program

207-255-3426 or toll-free 1-800-545-0873 - Email: wccp@wccp.net

Mailing address: PO Box 311, Machias, ME 04654

Location: 14 Steve's Lane (off Route 192), Marshfield, Maine

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