With Greg Brady leading the parade, this year’s clam fest will be far out

This year marks the 54th anniversary of the Yarmouth Clam Festival, and an actor from an iconic TV show that also got its start in the ’60s will be there – unless something suddenly comes up.

Here’s the story of a character named Greg Brady, portrayed by Barry Williams during the 1969-1974 run of the sitcom “The Brady Bunch.”

“The Brady Bunch,” incredibly, has been in syndication since 1975 and airs Sundays in Maine during the two-hour “Brady Brunch” broadcast on classic television network MeTV.

You can see Williams riding in a classic car with MeTV Portland during the parade which kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday. Then on Saturday, he’ll be cheering on competitors at the 11 a.m. celebrity clam shucking contest and signing autographs from 1 to 4 p.m. in the MeTV tent. Williams has been an ambassador for the network for the past few years.

Scene from an episode of “The Brady Bunch.” Photo courtesy of Barry Williams

Will Williams’ appearance at the festival be as fun as a trip to Hawaii or the Grand Canyon? Will it be more exciting than a science project volcano? Will it be as entertaining as the Meat Cutters Ball or a backyard family potato sack race? There’s only one way to find out, but please leave cousin Oliver at home.

Matt Earl is the creative services director of ABC affiliate WMTW and MeTV Portland is part of that broadcast family and a sponsor of this year’s festival. This winter, Earl reached out to Adrienne Nardi, executive director of the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce, and Mark Barbalias, her co-director of the Yarmouth Clam Festival, to see if there was a way to combine the festival with the iconic TV show. Kind of like blending two families ….

“People love the show. It’s a show that has survived the test of time, and we’re thrilled that MeTV can be part of it,” Earl said.

Nardi, who like Earl is a big “Brady Bunch” fan, said that there’s been a huge spike in festival interest since it was announced that Williams would be part of it. “It’s really exciting and helps rejuvenate something that’s such a long-running event,” said Nardi, who also noted that Williams’ involvement translates to more visibility for the many nonprofits that benefit from the festival, primarily from food sales.

“Brady Bunch” alum Barry Williams Photo courtesy of Barry Williams

Williams, 64, lives in Branson, Missouri’s Ozark Mountains. He and his wife, Tina Mahina, have never been to Maine, and they plan to see as much as they can while they’re here. They also plan to eat their fill of Maine seafood.

As for the never-ending popularity of “The Brady Bunch,” Williams said during a telephone interview that because it’s never been off the air, it’s multi-generational. But there’s another reason: “I think it has to do with the chemistry that we had and its authenticity.”

When asked if the Brady kids (Cindy, Bobby, Jan, Peter, Greg and Marcia) all got along when the show was being aired and if they still do today, Williams was concise with his response. “The answer to both is yes. I think it’s important to viewers that what they saw was real. It’s a quality that makes people feel good when they’re watching it.”

No conversation with a “Brady Bunch” cast member would be complete without asking about favorite episodes. Williams immediately mentioned the pilot. “I’m very partial to the first episode because of its genuineness. We really were all getting to know each other, and you could tell a lot about what this show and the family was going to be about from that one episode. ”

In the off chance that your Brady trivia is rusty, the first episode is called “The Honeymoon,” and it aired in September of 1969. It features the chaotic wedding of Mike and Carol when all of the kids, not to mention housekeeper Alice along with Tiger the dog and Fluffy the cat, all go on the couple’s honeymoon.

Williams also mentioned the episodes that featured Brady travel adventures including to the Grand Canyon, Hawaii and Kings Island, an amusement park in Ohio. “Pretty much anytime we got out and away from the set was fun.”

The other episode Williams gave a shout-out to was “Adios, Johnny Bravo,” from the final season of the show. A talent scout almost succeeds in convincing Greg to ditch his siblings and become a teen idol named Johnny Bravo. Williams loved it because he thought it would be fun to be a singer. “Music was important to me, so that episode kind of focused around that but still in a very Brady way.”

The Yarmouth Clam Festival is always a good time, and with the addition of Barry Williams, whatever day you choose to go will surely be a sunshine day.