On behalf of the board of directors of Rockland Main Street, Inc., I want to express sincere appreciation to all those who attended or participated in this year's Downtown Summer Solstice Celebration Street Party & Dock Party on June 17.

Thanks to the support of our volunteers, sponsors, vendors and downtown stakeholders, our traditional Summer Solstice Celebration Street Party was a success measured by the fun family activities, music, food and dancing in the street. The event was attended by untold hundreds of families, as many as 2,000 people, who enjoyed themselves on a cool and foggy afternoon.

Our second annual Dock Party, a large part of the Summer Solstice Celebration, registered nearly 900 attendees, compared to 600 last year, at one of the coolest party venues in Midcoast Maine, Journey's End Marina.

This adults-only event was highlighted by three corn-hole games that were busy right through dark, a GIANT Jenga game, dance music by DJ Dan Miller, and non-stop rock & roll by the live band Just Teachers. The dance floor was full right through closing time at 10:30 p.m., and patrons kept our three volunteer bartenders hopping all night long. The food service by 4M Productions was great and the no-cover access was well received by all in attendance. 

This event was made possible by sponsors listed below, and the approximately 30 volunteers who pitched in to plan, set up and break down the two separate events on Main Street and at the waterfront.

The following deserve our gratitude for supporting Rockland Main Street, Inc. in its ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Rockland. If we continue to do this right, every small business will want to be located in Downtown Rockland, and everyone else will want to work, play, and live here! 

PLATINUM LEVEL: Journey's End Marina

GOLD LEVEL: Back Cove Yachts, LCI Fiber Optic Networks, Bud Lite

SILVER LEVEL: Philbrook & Associates, Hampton Inn, Gartley & Dorsky, Bangor Savings Bank, Maritime Energy

BRONZE LEVEL: Brooks Trap Mill, Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, Southend Grocery, Allen Insurance & Financial, Farnsworth Art Museum, Maine Lobster Festival, Arts In Rockland.

Also, our MUSIC SPONSOR: First National Bank; our DANCE FLOOR SPONSOR: FMC Corporation; our TEE-SHIRT SPONSOR: KDK Printing & Embroidery; our MEDIA SPONSORS: The Free Press, Village Soup, The Courier-Gazette, VSTV; and our FOOD CONCESSION SPONSOR: 4M Productions.

We received additional support from Coastal Creative Designs, the United States Coast Guard, the City of Rockland Public Services Department, the City of Rockland Police Department, the City of Rockland Fire Department, the Grasshopper Shop, Rockland Harbor Hotel, Eclipse Restaurant, Landings Restaurant, Trackside Station Restaurant, Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery, Handy Portable Toilets, Lowe's, and Adventure Advertising.

Participating businesses and organizations numbered more than 35 exhibitors, including many downtown businesses who displayed their products and services at the Street Party. 

We hope that the above information is complete in its representation of our financial and in-kind sponsors and we apologize if we inadvertently left anyone out. 

Gordon Page, Sr., is executive director of Rockland Main Street, Inc.