Maine Stories

Every holiday is cause for celebration in the riverside city of Hallowell, and there’s plenty of merriment during the month of December. Christmas in Old Hallowell will be held on Dec. 12 with activities and events for all ages. There’s the Great Hallowell Christmas Parade, clay ornament making, a Hanukkah celebration with storytelling and food, a gingerbread house display contest, pottery and ceramic sculpture sale, decorated storefronts, art gallery open houses, a craft sale, community caroling and fireworks. Downtown shops and restaurants will offer special discounts and promotions during the event. For more information about Christmas in Old Hallowell visit hallowell.org or call 207-620-7477.

Who has the greatest street in New England? Bath, Maine.

Front Street in the city of Bath was recently named to the American Planning Association’s 2009 list of “10 Great Streets” in America. Popular with visitors for its mix of shops and eateries, wide brick sidewalks, architectural landmarks, and maritime history, Front Street was the only New England street to be recognized. The downtown stretch parallels the Kennebec River and makes a great destination for holiday shopping.

Babe reunites with Paul Bunyan in Rumford

Loggers like to work in cold weather when the firm ground makes tree harvesting easier for them and their equipment. So no one was happier than Rumford’s Paul Bunyan when his sidekick Babe the Blue Ox arrived in town recently. The two mythical characters, displayed as fiberglass statues, are now a short drive from each other in downtown Rumford. Babe stands six feet tall, is 10 feet long and nearly 400 pounds, with silver horns, a sky blue body and black hoofs. The 18-foot-tall Bunyan statue resides at Rumford’s Route 2 visitor information center, sporting black boots, blue pants, a red shirt and an eight-foot long double edged ax.