Rockland solstice event celebrates youth, family fun
Despite gray skies and drizzle and temperatures in the mid-60s, the four p.m. crowd at the 2024 Rockland Summer Solstice celebration, June 22, maintained a calm, family fun atmosphere, two days after a two-day heat wave idled most non-essential activity. This year’s theme was "Celebrate Our Youth” featuring the RSU13 Youth Alliance Carnival.
Similar to last year, the battle between rain and sunshine was won by rain, yet this year, unlike last year, true raincoats and fisherman attire stayed away.
This year, the Sculpture Race, organized by Kim Bernard, began at the Main Street and Tillson Avenue intersection, ran/walked down Tillson to Park Drive, and around to Winter Street. One participant pushed a mini walking duck in front while pulling an oversized duck in the rear. Like the toy duck in front, the oversized one’s wings flapped opposite each other. On Winter Street, however, one oversized wing fell off. A Rockland Police Officer picked it up, and a spectator took hold and walked the last dozen feet behind the ensemble, flapping the wing in sync with the opposite wing.
David Goegel and Paul Benjamin helped keep the event organized. Rockland PD began setting up street closure barriers around 2:30 p.m., allowing for the numerous parked vehicles and shoppers to leave Main Street prior to the 3 p.m. celebration. Rockland Fire and EMS brought their camp chairs and staged at the end of Limerock Street.
The street reopened at 8 p.m.
Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com