Farmington Police leads the procession on Tuesday, July 4, as the officer tosses candy to the kids. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

FARMINGTON — Broadway in downtown Farmington lit up with American pride with the annual Independence Day Parade on Tuesday, July 4. Orchestrated by Farmington Rotary, the parade saw floats, fire engines, livestock and vintage cars stroll down the road with patriotic vigor.

The parade began at 10 a.m. and the route started on High St. at the University of Maine Farmington student center parking lot. The route took the parade to Broadway then to Main St. where the route looped back to High St.

With the theme this year being “America the Beautiful”, many floats went above and beyond to deliver what they find beautiful about the United States in the design of their floats.

The Colonial Daughters Chapter, the Farmington chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, used the Boston Tea Party as the inspiration for their float. Constructed by local craftsmen Michael Warren and his wife Shelley Warren, the float was modeled after the Beaver, one of three ships that was involved in the Boston Tea Party.

“It took about a month to build,” Warren said.

A member of the Colonial Daughters Chapter stated the ship was in honor of Elizabeth Nichols Dyar, one of three young women who mixed and applied paint to the men of the Boston Tea Party as a disguise. “Her memorial is right here in Maine,” one member said.

Randy Hastings, right, and Kendall Westerlind, left, ride in “Little Red” on Tuesday, July 4, for the Independence Day Parade in downtown Farmington. Hastings said the car was electric and street legal. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

Franklin Savings Bank went in a different direction, opting to set up a barbeque with Uncle Sam, played by Farmington local Black Bordeau, standing at the grill with the Statue of Liberty, played by Abagail Clair, waving to the crowd.

The Farmington Rotary got hold of a vintage tractor to haul their float, which was a wheel bearing the name of the organization surrounded by red, white and blue decorations.

“The girls went a little overboard with the decorations, but it looks good,” President Dennis O’Neil said.

The parade concluded with fire engines from Farmington, Chesterville, New Sharon and New Vineyard tossing out candy to children while honking their horns.

Farmington locals Don Hamlin and his son Dale Hamlin showed their cars in the parade, with the two men driving a 1994 Ford Mustang GT and a 2004 Jeep Wrangler, respectively, with each vehicle decked out in red, white and blue decorations and American flags.

Randy Hastings of Dutch Gap Auto in Chesterville road in a red electric vehicle with a design similar to the Ford Model T that he and his family call “Little Red”. Hasting stated the car was all electric and street legal.

“I’d honk the horn for you, but I don’t want to scare the folks in front of us,” he said before the parade.

Members of UMF’s Upward Bound march on Tuesday, July 4, with their legs covered in red, white and blue hand prints. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal

UMF’s Upward Bound marched in the parade as well. Donning pink t-shirts and red, white and blue hand prints painted on their legs, the students marched to help promote the service they provide to 14 high schools across western and central Maine. The program actively identifies, recruits, and selects motivated high school students who would be the first in their families to attend college, and seeks to help students develop the skills necessary for success in education beyond high school.

The VFW 10881 rode atop a 1968 army truck that was used for the Vietnam war. The owner of the vehicle stated that it gets roughly 15 to 20 miles to the gallon. “That’s better than what my truck gets,” he commented.

Judging for the floats began at 9 a.m. with prizes being awarded for agriculture/animals, antique car/tractor/truck, floats, walkers/bands/music and military/patriotic. In June, Lisa Laflin, who is a member of the organization, said Chamber Bucks would be given to the top three in each category, as well as a judges’ choice award. Winners will be announced on the group’s Facebook page when the results are ready.