Just over 30 people (about five percent of Islesboro’s year-round population) participated in the No Kings March on Saturday, March 28. Gathering in the Town Offices parking lot shortly before 11 a.m., the early arrivals watched more and more island residents arrive, many with handmade signs that represented a range of views.

Some marchers were there in patriotic garb, with Apple Bartlett taking the lead with American flags on her hat and an American flag draped across her shoulders.

Apple offered some thoughtful comments, celebrating the contributions of Arch Gilles at the October march, and then the group started the chilly walk.

Marching from the town offices to the intersection of Main Toad and West Shore Drive, it was a celebration of fellowship, people chatting about the weather, gardening plans, and not surprisingly, their concerns about autocracy in America. Drivers in vehicles going by the marchers often honked their horns and gave a friendly wave.

After some group photos at the end of the march, participants began making their way back down the road to their cars. Suddenly, a bald eagle flew above the line of marchers, a majestic reminder of the centuries-old possibilities of an inclusive and strong democracy.

Philo Hutcheson lives on Islesboro