Southern Maine Community College is hosting a festive ocean parade that will feature boats of all types in celebration of the College’s 75th anniversary.
The parade will be held on Sunday, July 11, in the waters of Casco Bay off of SMCC’s South Portland Campus. Current and former SMCC students and employees, business and community partners, and anybody with a boat are invited to participate.
Organizers expect a variety of watercraft: sailboats, powerboats, canoes, kayaks, and even paddle boards. People are also invited to watch the event from shore from the SMCC campus or nearby Willard Beach.
The parade will be led by SMCC President Joe Cassidy and Professor Dan Abbott in their powerboats, Cassidy’s 21-foot Seaswirl Striper and Abbott’s 20-foot Maritime Skiff.
“A boat parade is a fun and memorable way to commemorate this landmark anniversary while having a great time on the waters of Casco Bay,” Cassidy said. “We encourage any and all boaters — and anybody with a connection to or simply an interest in SMCC — to join us for the festivities.”
SMCC is marking its 75th anniversary with various events throughout the year, to be capped off with a 75th anniversary gala this fall.
For the boat parade, boaters are asked to meet in the waters off of Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse at 10:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. and travel a short route to the south along the shore of SMCC’s South Portland Campus toward Willard Beach. For more information and to register for the event, please email smccboatparade@smccME.edu.
SMCC was founded in 1946 to train veterans returning from World War II in a post-war economy. Originally called Maine Vocational Technical Institute and located in Augusta, the College opened with 80 students, 10 faculty and staff, and four programs.
Today, SMCC serves nearly 6,000 students from around the state and around the globe, and offers more than 40 degree and certificate programs, noncredit classes, and workforce and career skills training at campuses in South Portland, Brunswick and online, and at satellite locations throughout southern Maine.
For more information about SMCC’s 75th anniversary, please visit the SMCC anniversary celebration webpage, www.smccME.edu/75.