RUMFORD — Nearly a dozen members of economic development group Envision Rumford! organized Wednesday night into a Promotions Committee.

They are tasked initially with creating a slogan and planning events for the downtown area, newly elected Chairwoman Tammi Lyons of Peru said. Lyons is also a sales associate at Lennox Capital Management of Rumford.

Overall, the committee will handle marketing efforts to promote the island and community in general, as well as discussing the development of community events.

This past fall, Envision Rumford! established Pumpkin Fest, which featured a car show and several autumn-oriented activities, including Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman chasing Ichabod Crane down Congress Street.

Envision Rumford! was also responsible for decorating the vacant storefronts this past Christmas and publishing a map of the island and surrounding area to promote local business.

On Saturday, May 4, Envision Rumford! will debut a Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Day, Lyons said.

Among the festival activities are a lumberjack breakfast, a parade of skidders, horse-and-buggy rides, an ax-and-log throwing contest, a log relay, a frying-pan throw for women, an arm-wrestling contest, a Paul Bunyan look-alike contest and children’s activities. Pulp trucks and antique tractors will be on display, and there may also be a zip line.

She said a Jeans and Flannel Lumberjack Dance is also planned for the evening.

Lyons said the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Day Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 7, in attorney Jennifer Kreckel’s office on Congress Street to further discuss plans.

“We really want to focus on having activities throughout the town to draw people into the downtown,” Lyons said. “We had great success with the Pumpkin Festival.”

The group did some initial brainstorming on how to best get the word out to the public, short of advertising in local newspapers.

“Probably our biggest hit is going to be on Facebook,” Jack Davis of Hebert Realty said.

“49 Franklin posts on there, all the time,” Kevin Saisi said of a Facebook site he created to promote events in the River Valley area.

49 Franklin is a reception hall and Mystic Theater owned and operated by Rumford entertainers Scot and Cindy Grassette on 49 Franklin St.

“What I love about Facebook is my 500 friends will see everything I post on (the Envision Rumford! Facebook) page,” Lynda Hebert of Hebert Realty said.

Rumford native Sonny Child of Farmington and the Maine Antique Tractor Club asked about parking for several tractor-trailer trucks that would be bringing antique tractors to the Lumberjack Day event for the parade and viewing along River Street.

“I think this is a fantastic idea you folks are doing,” Child said. “It’s a great idea, and I thank you for inviting us.”

“I think having antique tractors here will be a great call because a lot of people don’t see that here,” Hebert said.

The Promotion Committee decided to meet once a week. Their next meeting will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Lennox Capital at 75 Congress St.

Envision Rumford! is establishing four committees to address the various goals under the Maine Downtown Program, according to its Promotion Committee’s Facebook site.

Envision Rumford! is also behind a project to make Rumford a zip-line mecca, in order to invigorate the local economy and get people onto the downtown island.

Launched in 2011 to grow business and to strengthen the island as a place to do and be in business, Envision Rumford! is comprised of businessmen and women on the island.

Participants also include town officials, representatives from state and federal government agencies, and interested local residents.

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