Photo sources: Bangor Daily News and Village Soup
Each year, the Maine Lobster Festival’s Board of Directors votes on a theme for that year’s Maine Lobster Festival. This year, in honor of the thousands of volunteers who help us put on the festival each year as well as the many community members who give their time and effort to make Rockland, Maine, and the Midcoast area a wonderful place to live and work, the theme will be “Dedicated Volunteers to the Community.”
Fittingly, we are honored that two distinguished former public servants of the Rockland, community have agreed to co-marshal this year’s Maine Lobster Festival.
Former Rockland Fire Chief Charles Jordan Jr. served the city’s fire department for 25 years. Jordan first joined the volunteer department because he wanted to serve the Rockland community. In 1992, Jordan was promoted to a lieutenant in the call division, then a captain in 1995. Jordan was hired as Rockland’s fire chief in December 2003, serving the city for 10 years in this role.
Former Rockland Deputy Police Chief Wally Tower served Rockland’s department for 27 years. Tower grew up in Milford, Mass., and began his law enforcement career in that state. However, after a vacation in Midcoast Maine, Tower fell in love with the community. Tower served local communities for 35 years as a police officer and as Rockland’s police chief.
The theme will be apparent throughout many aspects of the festival, but will be most noticeable at the Big Parade on Rockland’s Main Street on Saturday, Aug. 1. We look forward to seeing yo