ROCKLAND — For some, an hour’s delay of the Maine Lobster Festival’s “Big Parade” was a rather long wait. Though anyone waking up to the heavy rain storm that drenched the region, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, could easily understand the reason for the prolonged start. 

Yet, the parade must go on.

Instead of 9:30 a.m., Rockland Police, with the help of multiple fire departments, closed Main Street and several of the intersecting streets starting at 10:30 a.m. to give time before the 11 a.m. parade, for spectators to find their desired positions along the curb. McGruf the Crime Dog, in a police cruiser, led the way from the staging area at Oceanside High School, down North Main Street, and through Downtown Main Street (opposite the usual traffic direction). 

Close behind, the Coast Guard and Navy marched in solid mass, with some units concentrating on their steps while other units enjoyed a more casual ambulation. 

The theme for the 77th Maine Lobster Festival was: “Through the Years.” 

As usual, the Pen Bay Pilot came away with more pictures than one photo gallery could hold, and therefore started a second page. 

See 2024 Lobster Festival #2 for more pictures.