Celebrate Portland Festival

July 7, 10AM to 2PM The Portland, Maine event will focus on getting the whole family active—in fun ways. You'll find booths, activities and organizations for everyone from kids to adults including: East Coast Greenway, Portland Trails, Maine Island Trails, the Bike Coalition of Maine, the Maine Commission for Community Service, AARP Create the Good, Healthy Portland, Fit Planet, Five County Credit Union, Ripple Effect, New England Dairy Promotion Board, Happy Mainers, Portland VFW, The Patrick Dempsey Center For Cancer Hope and Healing, United Way of Greater Portland, and more! And we'll have lots of great activities, from a Kids Bounce House to a hula-hooping contest to a game of “Musical Cows.” Kids can participate in a Bike Rodeo, where they'll learn bike safety tips, and the Portland Sea Dog’s mascot “Slugger” will be on hand to meet and greet attendees. There will be a performance by Pihcintu Multinational Children's Chorus, among other celebrated local bands and artists. Taste the food that makes Maine great—lobster rolls from the Maine Lobster Festival, fried clam cakes from the Yarmouth Clam Festival, and shrimp harvested by Port Clyde Fresh Catch, a fisherman’s cooperative. Other local event sponsors and participants include: Hannaford, which is providing free reusable water bottles to attendees (while supplies last) and water with which to fill them, Back Cove Neighborhood Assoc.,Cap’n Eli’s Soda, Cooperative Maine, Hard Core Hooping, Local Sprouts Coop, Lucid Stage, Maine Crafts Association, Maine Credit Union League, Portland Food Coop, Portland Sea Dogs, United Way of Greater Portland, and WinterKids. ADMISSION IS FREE! Local Maine dairy farmers will bring in a calf for the kids to pet. And, of course, you'll be there to welcome the final riders as they conclude the 2012 Community Tour. Cabot Creamery Cooperative will also announce the Reward Volunteers GRAND PRIZE winners so get ready to cheer for community spirit, volunteerism, and big hearts! The 2012 Community Tour celebrates those who give their hearts, time and skills to strengthen communities. The two-month program kicked off on May 12th in Miami, Florida, and is working its way up the East Coast, following the route of the East Coast Greenway and culminates in Portland, Maine, on July 7th, the International Day of Cooperatives. The Tour features eight major weekend stops in key cities along the northerly route, including Miami, Charleston, Durham, Fredericksburg, Wilmington, New York City, Providence and Portland. Additionally, smaller weekday events are taking place at stops along the route between the key cities. While events and activities vary by market, the overall theme of cooperatives, community service and volunteerism is the hallmark of each celebration. The Grand Finale takes place in Portland and marks the International Day of Cooperatives, part of the United Nation’s year-long celebration of cooperative businesses. Cabot will honor the Grand Prize winners of its Reward Volunteers program during the event, as five beneficiary organizations will be selected to receive cash prizes of $3,000 each.