With a theme of "A Taste of Dexter", featured activities will take place on the shores and waters of Lake Wassookeag, in the picturesque downtown area, in a pig scramble-suitable field right outside of town, and finally, after the sun goes down, on the darkened links of Dexter Muni.

In the morning … at the lake
The day gets started at 6 a.m. with a Dexter Kiwanis / Knights of Columbus co-sponsored Pancake Breakfast at the K of C Hall, located right by the Public Boat Launch Campground area, where The Dexter Fish & Game Association sponsored Fishing Tournament for kids and adults gets underway. The public breakfast ($6 adults / $3 for children 12 years & younger) goes on until 10 a.m., and offers a great opportunity to get the day off on the right foot … with good food!

Right at 7 a.m., as the fishermen get ready to bait their hooks, Alycia Bradley of Corinna will strike the right note with the singing of National Anthem at the K of C Hall.

At 8 a.m., also at the Lake Wassookeag Beach Area, the "Let's Paddle" Kayak Race for children (with adult supervision) and adults gets underway with sponsorship of the Dexter Lakes Association and Nessi's Ice Cream Stop.

At the same time and place the "Protecting Our Lakes Booth" opens, sponsored by Dexter Lakes Association and The Town of Dexter.

Both those events are expected to continue until 11 a.m.

From 9 a.m. to noon, the Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife "Wall of Shame" trailer will be at the Public Beach / Campground area, sponsored by Dexter Fish & Game Assoc. The "Wall of Shame" presentation dramatizes how poachers steal from everyone when they take wildlife illegally.

Meanwhile … downtown
After breakfast at the lake, non-fishing, non-kayaking Yard Sale Enthusiasts are invited to migrate to the downtown area where, beginning at 8 a.m., the Town Parking Lot behind Bangor Savings Bank will be the scene of Dexter's largest-ever "Vendors & Community Yard Sale". Vendors and Yard Sale participants have been signing up for assigned spots for a month or so, but as of a few days ago space for more was still available by contacting Diane Parola at 924-5544. The browsing, buying public need not pre-register to attend …just show up between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

At 9 a.m., more choices are available downtown, with the ever-popular Tillson True Value Shoe Toss available on Main Street, and the Pieceful Patchers Quilt Show & Pie Sale getting underway right up the hill a short way at the First Baptist Church. Across the street from the church, the Abbott Memorial Library Book Sale will get going at the same time and right next door Arts & Crafts will be available for purchase from The Wednesday Girls at the Town Hall.  Light refreshments will be served.

The shoes will be tossed until 2 p.m. or so, while the pies, quilts, books, arts and crafts may last until 3 p.m.

Back down Main Street Hill at 9:30 a.m. the Penobscot Job Corps Student Government will offer Children's Games next to the Dexter Police Department. The Job Corp Academy Information Booth will be nearby. Games will continue until 1:30 p.m., with Job Corps information available until 2 p.m.

At 10 a.m., the Bangor Savings Bank Bike Decorating Contest / Parade begins at the Police Station and ends behind Bangor Savings. Two prizes will be awarded per age category: 1-5 yrs., 6-9 yrs., and 10-12 yrs. Contact Bangor Savings Bank in Dexter for more information or to pre-register.

The Grist Mill Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and at noontime the Dexter Fire Department will launch their Duck Race.

And from 1-4 p.m. there will be American Legion Bingo on Grove Street.

Open House at Dexter Airport
Bus tours from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. will be offered of "…one of the best little airports in the region" thanks to a $3.8 million donation through the federal stimulus package." (Free ice cream, too.)

Music in the afternoon … Wayside Park Gazebo
Promptly at noon, a music extravaganza begins off Lower Main Street in the Gazebo area of Wayside Park. Bring your own chair or sit on the lawn and enjoy an afternoon of music. (The Town Hall will be used as a backup for the entertainment at the Gazebo in case of inclement weather.)

Featuring the Dexter Community Band, the offerings will range from Durango Mangos, to Local Yokels, with Country and Folk mixed in, and even with expected visits from out-of-town rockers from Bangor, Windham and Portland (the southern Maine "Portland", not the one in Oregon).

The Dexter Community Band, under the direction of Dr. Earl Lord, will choose from a repertoire that includes: Amazing Grace, God Bless America, Simple Gifts, It's Really Great to be a Shriner  (written by Carl Cuthbert of Dexter), H.G. Crosby's Regiments Return, and musical compositions by  R.B. Hall. The group may also offer an Armed Forces Salute, all arranged by local resident. Lorene Coe.

Band members include: Amy Young, Diana Patterson, Jeff Patterson, Benita Rudmin, Gerry Rudmin, Gary Nelson, Kelly Meunier, Anna Fournier, Deb Fournier, Dave Fournier, Kelly Adams, Carly Schluter, Deb Maynard and others.

There will be an additional - AMAZING - variety of music: Durango Mango of Cambridge, will offer Country / Jimmy Buffett / and originals; the Local Yokel Vocal Group of Dover-Foxcroft will present old time pop of the 20s, 30s, 40s; well known Country singer Alycia Bradley of Corinna will again sing following her early morning performance of the National Anthem at the K of C Hall; Seth Murley of New Castle will entertain with folk and original numbers; and Maine touring rockers Against All Odds of Bangor, Mad Gingers of Windham, and Maybe Utah of Portland are scheduled to make an appearance.

A second musical venue will be the back lawn of the Abbot Memorial Library at 1 p.m. when there will be a sing-a-long with the Wayside Singers to music from the 40's, 50's and 60's.  Song sheets will be provided. Pianist, Sara Johnson will also be on hand to perform.  In case of rain, join them at the Universalist Church.

At P&L Country Market – home of the "Biggest Pig Scramble in Maine"
Follow the crowd as action migrates south on Route 7 to the Corinna Town Line where the good-vibes of old time country fairs are resurrected at 2 p.m. as the highly entertaining, kid and parent friendly, annual P&L Pig Scramble takes center stage.

Now making its seventh appearance, Scramble sponsors Phil & Lori Chabot have ordered 70 pigs and are hoping for another great scramble.

Registration is underway for children ages 3 through 12 who want to participate in the "Biggest Pig Scramble in Maine". Last year over 500 children participated.

Children will be registered in age groups of 3 & 4 year olds, 5 & 6 year olds, 7 & 8 year olds, 9 & 10 year olds, and 11 & 12 year olds. Groups of approximately 10 children each will take turns scrambling for a pig. The winner of each group can choose to keep the pig or sell it back. Participants will also receive a free t-shirt.

The rules for the scramble are simple: no open-toed shoes are permitted and spectators are asked to allow parents of the children participating in the round to move to the front so they can watch their child scramble. Parking in the store's parking lot is for store customers only. Attendees at the pig scramble are asked to park in the field next to the store (if there is no standing water in the field!). Parking will also be allowed at the Mainely Crafts parking lot and a shuttle wagon will run people up to the scramble.

This event is free for all participants, but organizers are asking for parents to pre-register their child to make the event run more smoothly. Registration forms are available at P & L Country Market or by going to their website at www.plcountrymarket.com.

On the way to or from the Pig Scramble – actually anytime between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. - Burdin's Renewable Energy across the road from Brook's Tire, invites visitors to stop in to view their Aquaponics operation in one of their greenhouses. Aquaponics combines plant and fish environments into a system where plants utilize fish waste instead of soil and fertilizer, and, in turn, purify the water for the fish; a very interesting system to observe.

Before the Scramble, actually beginning at 9 a.m., the Maine Bowhunters Association will bring their National Archery in the Schools Program handy to the P&L Country Market site, where kids will be able to shoot a bow, guided by certified archery trainers. (To help defray costs, there will be a fee of $1 to shoot five arrows.)

Back downtown … after the scramble
When the Scramble excitement is over, those sampling a "Taste of Dexter" should head back into town for the Dusters Antique Auto Parade that will wend its way around 4 p.m. from Skowhegan Savings Bank to Dexter Health Care, and then on to the Town Parking Lot behind Bangor Savings Bank to kick off the late afternoon and evening activities.

The Dusters Antique Auto Cruise In will be in full swing in the Municipal Lot by 5:30 p.m. when "Non-Profit" takes the stage with their musical offerings, to be followed by well-known entertainer and country singer "Ray Stafford" who is being sponsored by the Dusters.

And right across the street and around the corner, a Public Lobster Roll Supper, sponsored by Christian Community Church, will be held at the American Legion Hall beginning at 5 p.m. The menu is: lobster roll, corn on the cob, cole slaw, chips, beverage, apple pie with ice cream. $10 per person advance sale; $12 at the door.

At evening's end…tee off at Dexter Muni
It's not over yet … make sure the clubs are in the car as Night Golf gets underway at 9 p.m. at Dexter Municipal Golf Course - $20 fee to participate.

"SummerFest Headquarters" will be at the Town Council Chambers from 10:00 to 4:00.  Brochures, maps, information, and first aid available.

A "Ride With Reny's Bus" will be available to shuttle festival goers between events. Beginning at 8 a.m., stops will include the old Dexter Shoe parking lot on Lincoln Street; Maine Highlands FCU parking lot, the downtown area, the beach area (8 a.m. – noon); the Airport (11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.); and P & L Country Market (1:30 – 4 p.m.). (A note from the organizers: "Sorry, but this bus is not handicap accessible." )

• Brochure of Events
• Map of Events

There will also be smaller, more informal races, after 8:30, around the lower lake. Ed is planning to set a course for that with buoys and the first 20 to complete this course will receive Ice Cream Prizes.

Event will take place starting near the boat launch on the campgrounds.

Nessi's Ice Cream Stop has generously offered kayaks for small fee of $5.00 for the morning event.

All races are in the morning. Nessie's has offered morning kayak rentals for $5 for the morning, first come, first served. DLA will be awarding prizes of ice cream coupons, which will be good at Nessie's or Lake Shore.

Headquarters will be at Dexter Family Campgrounds on Lake Wassookeag in front of the Office for Dexter Fish & Game Assoc. at the campground bath house.

Trophies will be awarded for the following categories:

• Salmon
• Togue
• Pickerel
• Brook Trout
• Bass
• White Perch
• Most Yellow Perch

A Drawing will be held for additional "Mystery Prizes" from among the Fishing Derby Entrants.

Trophies and prizes to be awarded at 12:15 pm at the registration area. You must be present to win.

For further information or for any questions please contact Diane Nicholas, Secretary, Dexter Fish & Game Association at 469-5690