July 14                                         Southwest Harbor, Maine

We awakened early to attend   the Flamingo Parade in downtown Southwest Harbor.  Flamingo displays were everywhere. Local residents told us the festival began years ago when Don Featherstone, the inventor of the pink flamingo lawn ornaments, acquired a home in Southwest Harbor.  He is well regarded by the local citizens and this festival was created as a means of benefitting local charities and celebrating small town involvement.

The original pink flamingoes were created in the 1950’s and were immediately adopted for cheap lawn ornaments by residents in Florida and other southern states.  The original molds were signed by Don Featherstone and had one flamingo with head raised and the other with head lowered. A pair sold recently for more than $20,000  (useful information for my estate sale friends). Southwest Harbor had many types of flamingoes displayed—plastic, painted ones on windows, Styrofoam ones, and motorized ones.  There were pink flamingo sunglasses and all sorts of headgear. 

The parade was a great display of local fire trucks, volunteers for many organizations, antique automobile clubs, and other business establishments.  Most people in the parade and in the crowd were wearing one or more pink articles of clothing.  Many children were riding the floats and throwing candy to the crowd.  Some floats celebrated the flamingo theme but all were focused on showing their support for local charities and organizations.  It was a beautiful show of America small town at its best.

The library was having a paperback sale and I left the parade to join the throngs perusing the boxes of books on display.  Within minutes, I had found some wonderful titles. The library is deceptively small from the exterior but when one enters, it is soon apparent a great deal of space exists beyond the original structure.    With a nautical theme throughout, the library appears to be well organized, spacious, and very inviting to readers of all ages

To benefit the local hospice, a party was held in a tent on the dock of our marina.  We bought tickets and were eager to participate in the event.  We had entertainment by a local band before a lobster, mussels, and corn dinner.  It was delicious.  Afterwards, we returned to the boat and watched from the bridge as the sun slowly set over the horizon. 

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