Regional Information Training

Presented and prepared bythe

Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative of the

Franklin County Tourism NetworkBy

Susan AtwoodJudy Morton

Tyne HagerstromLeigh Breidenbach

AGENDA

I. How Does Tourism Work?

II. So You Think You Know Franklin County?

III. Activities We All Share

IV. Greater Farmington Region

V. Greater Rangeley Region

VI. Carrabassett Region

VII. Rainy Day Activities

VIII. What About Day Trips?

IX. What Else Matters to Visitors?

X. So Now We Do Know & Appreciate Franklin County!

Tourism in Maine

Tourism Commission Maine Office of Tourism Maine Tourism Assn.

Tourism Alliance

Regional Tourism Organizations

Chambers CVBs Local Econ. Dev. Regional Econ. Dev.

Lodging

Campgrounds

Recreation

Retail

Transportation

Guides

Sporting Camps

Fairs & Festivals

Arts & Cultural Windjammers

Conventions

Meetings

Restaurants

AttractionsHistoric

BELOW THE STATE STRUCTURE IS THE INDUSTRY!

Maine’s Eight Tourism Regions

Kennebec &

Moose R

iver

Valleys

Maine’s Lakes & Mountains

Aroostook County

Greater Portland & Casco Bay

Mid

coast

Southern Maine Coast

So, You Think You Know

Franklin County?

PRE-TEST

How’d you do?

The winner is…

Were there any surprises?

Outdoor Activities We All Share ATVing

Fishing

Hiking

Camping

Canoeing/Kayaking

Swimming

Scenic Drives

Waterfalls Viewing

Moose Watching

Bird Watching

Working Forests

Activities We All Share

Dining

Shopping

Lodging

The Towns in the Farmington AreaAvon

Carthage

Chesterville

Farmington

Industry

Jay

Livermore

Livermore Falls

New Sharon

New Vineyard

Strong

Temple

Weld

Wilton

Farmington – Wilton Area

Walk Around Farmington

Self-guided historical walk – interpretive kiosks at historic points

Nature Walks in Farmington

Bonney Woods – nine-acre hemlock grove

Flint Woods – ruins of old wells and overlook of Mt. Blue

Better Living Center Parking Lot May - October Tues. (2-6), Fri. (9-2)  

Farmers Markets 

Farmington Farmers Market -May- October Sat. (9-12) 

Located in the parking lot of the Farmington Courthouse on Maine Street Winter - Farmington Hall - Grange Hall on bridge street in West Farmington

Homestead is the birthplace of Lillian Nordica.

Lillian was America 's first international opera diva, and the homestead contains memorabilia of her life and career.

116 Nordica Lane in Farmington

Centennial Celebration of Lillian Nordica's final concert in Farmington, Maine - 1911

Nordica Homestead

Farmington Agricultural Fair  September

York Farm Corn Maize

Located just 2 miles outside of Farmington, Maine on Route 2 at 560 Farmington Falls Road778-3835

Chester Green Wood Day The first Saturday in December

Sprint Sled Dog Races

February - Sandy River Farm, Rt. 2, Farmington

Wilson Lake

Scenic Vista - Wilton

Half mile from junction of Rte 2 and 4 in Wilton

Museums

Wilton Home and Farm Museum

Summer Hours: • July & Aug. Sat. 1-4pm• By Appt. call 645-2091

Wilton, Livermore and Livermore Falls

Features• Maine Giantess Sylvia Hardy• Bass Shoe Co. memorbia• Outstanding collection home & farm tools• Working forge

22 Church Street Livermore Falls

Saturdays 10:30 am to 2:30pm or by appt.

New exhibit arrived in May "Immigrants thru Ellis Island“

Wonderful overview of history of Maine’s paper industry

Maine’s Paper a& Heritage Museum

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR

Guided walking tour to several sites with a short ride

Special holiday trips

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center 290 Norlands Road Livermore, ME

Take a journey back into history Group Tours School Tours Civil War Reenactment 1st weekend of June

Tour Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursday through Sept 2 (starting June 28) Hours:   11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

D.E.W. Animal Kingdom

918 Pond RoadMount Vernon, ME

Performing Arts

Kingfield Pops – JuneKingfield

Skye Theatre Performing Arts CenterSouth Carthage

Featuring the best in Celtic Entertainment

Premier music event that is set against a stunning mountain backdrop.  The states finest folk, traditional and classical musicians join together to present an evening of music under the stars

UMF •Offer concerts year round.•New Emery Arts Center

Sandy River Players Sandy River Players delivers quality community theater to the Greater Western Maine region. A private, non-profit theatrical organization

Area Events

Farmington Summer Festival & Art in the Park - July

Wilton Blueberry Festival 1st weekend of August

Phillips Old Homes Days August 18th

Mt. Blue State Park

Franklin County:

Mt. Blue State Park Weld, ME

Rangeley Lakes State Park Rangeley, ME

Franklin County State Parks Passport

Mt. Blue State Park

Campground

Sand beach

Boat launch

Canoes may be rented

Amphitheater

Nature center

Mt. Blue State Park 299 Center Hill Road Weld, Maine

Center Hill

Nature Trail

Mt. Blue Trail

Mt. Blue Snowshoe Trails

Cross Country Skiing

Winter Ice Skating

Picnics & Family Fun

Many area parks offer scenic views, picnic areas, grills, playgrounds, tennis & basketball courts,

swimming and walking trails.

Carrabasseet - Riverside Park – Rte 27

Eustis – Cathedral Pines Rte 27

Kingfield – Town Park – Curve Street

New Portland – Wire Bridge Rte 27 -

Rangeley - Rangeley Lakeside Park – downtown on shore of Rangeley Lake

Stratton - Blanchard Park Flagstaff Lake –– Blanchard Ave. Stratton

Strong – Lance Corp. Scott Pau Memorial Town Park Rte 149, Burbank Hill Road

Phillips Eastman’s Park – Rte 127 & Precartin Park – Park Street

Weld – Rte 156 – Center Hill – Mt. Blue State Park Junction 142 & 156

Wilton – Bass Park on Wilson Lake - Lake Road

Wilton – Kineowatha Park on Wilson Lake - High St. off Rte. 156

Kineowatha Park’s trails wander through old pine forests, along the shores of Wilson Lake, and connect the various recreation areas in the park. This short network of trails provides easy and relaxed walking as well as picnicking and swimming.

Kineowatha Park - Wilton

Towns in the Rangeley Lakes Region

Avon

Phillips

Madrid

Rangeley

Oquossoc

Franklin County: Rangeley Lakes Region

Special Events and Festivals

July 3rd Fireworks

Blueberry Festival

Strawberry Festival

Logging Museum Festival

Shriners Parade

Art in The Park

Snodeo

Special Events and Festivals continued

Splash In/Fly In

Oquossoc Days

Mountain Holly Days and Parade of Trees

Walk To Bethlehem

Events at Saddleback Mountain

Pond Skimming

Cardboard Box Race

Museums

Special Events: Public programs held in July and August - 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Museum Hours: June 30 to September 1, Monday, through Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society

Outdoor Sporting Heritage MuseumWilhelm Reich Museum

Performing Arts

Diva Shows

Rangeley Friends of the Arts Plays

Watermelon Concert Series

RFA Concert Series

Walk To Bethlehem

RFA Music From The Lake

RRHW Concert - Doobie Brothers

Saddleback Mountain Bluegrass Festival

Scenic Vistas

Height of Land

Rangeley Overlook

National Scenic By-wayMadrid Route 4 to Oquossoc, Route 1 to Byron

Smalls Falls

KID FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES

Carrabassett Valley Antigravity Complex

Outdoor Adventure Camp

Nike Junior Golf Camp

A Taste of Hiking in Franklin County• Bigelow Range (Fire Warden's Trail/Horns Pon) • Burnt Mountain • Crocker Mountain• Piazza Rock - 3.6 miles – Easy KID FRIENDLY• Sugarloaf Mountain - Numerous routes - Moderate to Difficult• Tumbledown Mountain - Weld - Numerous Routes• Bald Mountain Trail• Cranberry Peak• Bigelow Nature Preserve & Lodge SNOWMOBILE ACCESS• Bemis Stream Trail• Daggett Rock

Hiking continued

• East Kennebago Mountain Trail - Hiking & Biking• Forest Legacy Trail• Hatchery Brook Trail• Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary - Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust• Mountain Pond Trail• Mt. Abraham (Mt. Abram) Trail• Orgonon Trails- Located on the property of Wilhelm Reich• Smalls Falls• Spencer Pond Trail 1 mile each way - KID FRIENDLY• Spotted Mountain Trail• West Mountain Falls

Special EventsSugarloaf Marathon

• Celebrating its 29th year in 2011• The Sugarloaf Marathon is an official qualifier for the Boston Marathon

The Special Olympics Winter Games In 2011 is the 41st year Sugarloaf has hosted the games.

The Carrabassett "Back Country" Cycle Challenge

Sugarloaf Brews & Blues FestivalSeptember 9, 2011

Carrabassett Valley Area

Scenic Chairlift Rides

Zip Line

Panning for Gold

Moose Tours

Guided Adventures• Evening Moose Cruise• Dead River Sunrise Canoe Trip• Pontoon Boat Tours of Flagstaff Lake

Unique Activities

Rainy Day Ideas - - - KIDS

Visit a Museum

Go to a movie

Rent a video

Read a book by the fire – Libraries

Go Shopping

Bowling & Video Arcade

Roller Skating

Whitewater rafting

Horseback riding

Day Trips . . .

Augusta, State Museum

Freeport – Outlets LLBean

Mt. Washington

Portland, Me

What Else Matters to Visitors?

Restrooms

Internet & wi-fi access

Cell phone reception

Church services

Pet Care

Language interpreters

Nightlife

Sunrise & sunset viewing spots - photos

What Else Matters?

Services for visually and hearing impaired

Handicapped accessible sites

Medical services

Banking services

ATM Machines

International border crossing information

Local events – what’s going on this week?

So, Now We Really Do Know and

Appreciate Franklin County!

Contacts:Program brought to you by: