56th Saco Fun Days Parade, Stars & Stripes Talent Show

Of the may activities held over the 3-day, 56th Annual Saco Faun Days last weekend, Royce Strobbe found herself front and center for at least two.

As the nearly 20 floats lined up on Highway 243 in Saco for the Fun Day Parade - a procession which started at the Saco Post Office and stretched down past Maple Street - Strobbe and Billie Sky Ozark sat on a bench, preparing for Strobbe to sing the National Anthem ahead of the parade's start.

"I have sung it at least four or five times this week," Strobbe, who turned 10 on the 29th of August, said, admitting she was a little nervous. "I will sing it again at the talent show this afternoon ... I am nervous about that too, but I just take deep breaths."

Strobbe was unshaken as she sang the National Anthem before the parade, doing a splendid job, and then the floats - led by members of the Malta, Saco, and Glasgow American Legions and Sons of the American Legion, and the days' Grand Marshal Robert Plouffe made their way east up Taylor Street.

When the parade was all said and done, the Soennichsen family float took first place, the American Legion conglomerate placed second and the First Community Bank float placed third.

The Saturday parade came on the heels of the Friday night potluck at the Saco City Shop and Saturday itself featured a Quilt Show where the ladies of the Saco Quilting Club awarded seven veterans with handmade quilts as the theme for this year's Saco Fun Days was "Celebrating Heros of the Hi-Line" in conjunction with the American Legion celebrating 100 years in 2019. Saturday also included the Button Drawings, the Saco Chamber of Commerce BBQ, Methodist Pie Social and kid's games all ahead of the Stars and Stripes Talent Show at Miller Park.

It was at the Miller Park where Strobbe would once again sing the National Anthem, this time in honor of her grandfather, Ron Haynes, who was an artillery surveyor in the US Army Airborne.

The show was emceed by Darrell Gairrett and was focused on a patriotic theme. The winners of the event were Strobbe with a first-place win, trophy, and $150 prize, second went to Madyson Murphy who danced to "Made in America" earning her $100 and third place was awarded to Abby Yeska who earned $50 for her placement and then another $69 for the people's choice award. All the money raised from admission was donated to the American Legion as did the $1,200 from the corn hole boards auctioned off and the remaining money from the people's choices jars (the show also featured a rendition of "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Billie and Whit Ozark.)

As the night continued on Saturday, there were minnow races and a mechanical bull riding competition won by Randy Taylor, before OK and the Runaway again played music into the wee hours of the morning as they had on Friday night.

Sunday featured two tournaments: horseshoes and softball. At the softball tournament, the team of Jose Morales, Sue Marshall, Jason Beil, Jess Erickson, Bobbi Huber, Brad Huber, and Grant Christopherson took first place - each earning a first-place medal - while Lori Palm was named tournament MVP and took home that trophy for her efforts.