BELGRADE — The annual Fourth of July frog jumping contest is back.

Last year’s contest was canceled after some in town said they were concerned about how the frogs were treated.
But longtime celebration organizer Laura Richter said the frogs are treated with respect and all are returned to    ponds and streams when the competition ends.

She said children really enjoy the event, so organizers decided to bring it back.

She said community director Valencia Schubert offered to host it this year.

The frog jumping contest will start at 5 p.m. on a lot at the corner of Main Street and Hulin Road in Belgrade Lakes village Wednesday. The daylong festivities also include a farmers’ market in the parking lot of the Maine Lakes Resource Center, which will be open for tours.

The annual book sale on Main Street by the Friends of Belgrade Library will start at 9 a.m.
A boat parade featuring decorated and antique boats will line up at 11:30 a.m. at the mouth of Mill Stream on Great Pond and continue to Belgrade Lakes village.

The street parade starts at 4 p.m. north of the village at the Rome Farm and proceeds down Main Street, ending near the Sunset Grille at the south end of the village.

Parade lineup for all vehicles and floats will be at the Rome Farm at 3 p.m. Bikes and marchers should line up south of Rome Farm at 3:30 p.m. Richter said people attending the parade are encouraged to make a float, decorate their bikes, wear costumes and drive their antique cars.

A free ice cream social will be held at the Belgrade Lakes Center for All Seasons from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The social is sponsored by Gifford’s Ice Cream.

Children’s author Nancy Prince will sign her book, “Libby’s Loons” at the Village Peddler Shop. And Maine artists Bill Meyer, of Belgrade Lakes, and Antje Roitzschf, of Rockland, will be at the Spring Gallery and Sculpture Garden.

Strawberry shortcake and hot dogs will be served at the Union Church at noon. The Sunset Grille will hold a chicken barbecue from 4 to 7 p.m., and from 5 to 9:30 p.m., the Rock & Roll Explosion will perform in the Village Inn parking lot.

Central Maine Pyrotechnics will launch its fireworks from Long Pond at 9:15 p.m. The rain date is Thursday.
After the fireworks display, there will be music at the Sunset Grille.

“The resource center makes for a great hub,” Richter said. She said there are now more public docks on Mill Stream for people who want to come by boat from Great Pond, both behind the post office and at the resource center.

“That makes for a much friendlier village,” she said.

Mechele Cooper — 621-5663
mcooper@centralmaine.com