December 7th, 2024

Chester Greenwood Day is our annual celebration of Farmington resident Chester Greenwood, the inventor of earmuffs and takes place the first Saturday in December, bringing thousands to the area to watch and/or participate in the hour-long parade. Greenwood was only fifteen when he designed the first pair of ear protectors out of wire, beaver fur, and cloth. At the age of nineteen, he acquired a U.S. patent. By age twenty-eight, the Chester Greenwood & Company factory was producing and shipping champion ear protectors worldwide. In 1936 the company had its biggest year producing 400,000 pairs.

We would like to thank everyone for their participation and generosity in making this year’s Chester Greenwood Day a success!  We’ve heard nothing but cheers on how well the events turned out! 

A huge thank you to our Sponsors:

Major Sponsors

Franklin Savings Bank, Franklin Printing, University Credit Union, Skowhegan Savings Bank,  Kyes Insurance, Bangor Savings Bank,  Hight Chevrolet, Expenet Technology Solutions, and IEC, Inc.

T-Shirt Sponsors

Sun Journal/Franklin Journal, Rob Elliot Excavation, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital, The Mercantile, Rustic Roots, and Storer Contracting.

Horse & Wagon Rides Sponsors

Otis Federal Credit Union

A huge thank you to:

All of the Parade participants for their donations of peanut butter and jelly for the Mallett School Pantry.  This year’s parade was one of our longest parades! 

Clyde Ross for his longtime role of dressing as Chester himself and riding on our float along with Erica LaCroix, the Farmington Town Manager.  Paul Mills, for his longtime history of composing and reading a poem about the day at the Flag Raising ceremony.

Our parade judges, Noelle Coyne of Western Maine Community Action, Christine Wilson of the University of Maine at Farmington, and Sen. Russell Black from Black Acres Farm. 

The Farmington Rotary Club for hosting our Great Gingerbread Creation Contest. 

Our Taste of Farmington participants; This year's winner of the People's Choice Award The Homestead Bakery, along with B&B Bakery, Farmington House of Pizza, Orange Cat Cafe, Java Joes, Tucks Ale House, The Roost, Farmington Dunkin Donuts, Better Living Center, Wicked Good Candy, UMF Beaver Lodge, Main Street Cafe, and Food City. 

Mt. Blue Community Access TV and Tom Saviello for live streaming the parade.

The Farmington Walmart for providing Free cupcakes to the community.

And thank you to our whole community for making the day so special!  We can’t wait for next year!  Mark your calendars for December 6th, 2025! I hope you have a great holiday season!