Fourteen decorated fire trucks and rescue vehicles and a Lewiston Police Department car containing grand marshals LPD’s Chief David St. Pierre and Lt. Trevor Campbell, passed by the hundreds of people gathered along the route of the 2023 Lighted Fire Truck Parade on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 25. 

The lighted vehicles left the Boothbay Fire Station at 4 p.m. and headed toward Boothbay Harbor where they detoured to St. Andrews Village, before continuing through downtown and back to the Meadow Mall where dozens of people were watching and waiting for the two prizes to be awarded for the best decorated truck – the Dalmation Cup (awarded by a vote of three judges) and the People’s Choice award (as recorded by text). The judges, Holly Stover, Lawrence Durfee and Katrina Dunsmore, chose Boothbay Fire Department’s Tank #1 to receive the Dalmation Cup and the People’s Choice award went to Southport Fire Department. 

Live streaming of the event was done by Boothbay Region TV’s crew and emcees included Julie Roberts, Lisa Walby and Betty Jean Maddocks. The MCs announced the sponsors of the event, those responsible for putting the fourth annual event together (including event founder Jennie Mitchell) and those establishments who hosted the LPD officers and their wives for lodging and dinners, Harbour Towne Inn, Whale’s Tale and Tugboat Inn. 

Boothbay Harbor Police Officer Larry Brown drove a BHPD car in the parade. His passengers included Boothbay Harbor Rotary Interact Club members Colby Allen, Ariel Alamo and Suzie Edwards. The Interact Group raised $1,000 for Lewiston Police Department to distribute to the victims of the mass shooting in October through donations and the sale of the Lewiston Strong bracelets. The BRHS students presented a mock check for the amount and Roberts announced that First National Bank matched the amount for LPD. Before the parade, Mary Wallace of Boothbay Harbor, a 1949 graduate of Lewiston High School, presented Dunkin gift cards to the LPD officers. 

Several Christmas characters were either in the parade or at the landing site at the Meadow Mall. Santa and Mrs. Claus were perched upon one of the fire trucks – as was the Grinch – while the Christmas Tree, Olaf the snowman and the Christmas lobster roamed the grounds and appeared on the grandstand during the awarding of the prizes. 

Besides Boothbay and Southport, other trucks and vehicles in the parade were from the Boothbay Harbor, Woolwich, Nobleboro, Whitefield and Wiscasset fire departments and Boothbay Region Ambulance Service.