And what a glorious parade it was

Parade grand marshal Barbara Sewell shares a laugh with family as she rides in Saturday's parade celebrating the town's 250th birthday. (Lebanon Voice photos)

LEBANON - Lebanon's 250^th birthday bash got off to a rousing start Saturday with a milelong parade that boasted antique bicycles, cars and firetrucks and even a dance number by Lebanon students.

The parade was led by grand marshal Barbara Sewell, who waved to the crowd from the back seat of an antique Ford.

Onlookers watched from their front yards and driveways as the parade wended its way down Center Road. By the time it had taken a right onto Upper Guinea Road, crowds had built so that they lined the streets on either side.

Selectwoman Laura Bragg, who was stationed at the Hanson School, assisted in the naming of floats from businesses and other associations like The Lebanon Grange.

Students representing Lebanon schools put on a dance during Saturday's parade.

Preceding the grand marshal's car were members of the Lizotte family, whose matriarch, Ethel Lizotte, handcrafted a stunning banner representing the town. Ethel Lizotte intended to give the banner to the town, herself, but died in June 2014 before she could.

It was presented to the town by her husband in May 2015 and has hung in Town Offices ever since.

On Saturday, Ethel's husband, Ernest, walked proudly nearby as her gift led the march.

Another highlight of the parade was when students from the Hanson and Lebanon Elementary schools marched to the viewing area and put on a dance wowing the crowd with their enthusiasm and energy.

After them came farm tractors, floats from The Grange and other businesses, including SUR Construction, which sponsored a float depicting ladies' fashions from the 17^th century to now.

Following them were teams of oxen and other livestock and an antique carriage from Belgian Meadows farm driven by Steve Collins that carried the King and Queen of the festival, Patrick and Jennifer Greenlaw.

Once the parade was over most many took to Bull Field to watch historical re-enactors explain what life was like in bygone times.

Dana Grover rides an antique bicycle during Saturday's parade in Lebanon.

One booth run by the DAR and hosted by Cindy Normandeau of Sanford told of the efforts by Lebanon men who took to battle during the Revolutionary War.

Normandeau said that the day after the first shots were fired at Concord, Mass., on April 19, 1775, more than 50 Lebanon men left to fight the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Other re-enactors included an early American-era housewife, who talked of how urine was used in tanning, bleaching and many other household and industrial tasks.

Pointing to a bottle of what she represented as urine, a visitor asked, "Is that really urine?"

"No," she said, "that's pale dry ginger ale."