Kennebunkport Dump Association and Miss Dumpy
The Kennebunkport Dump Association (of Kennebunkport, Maine) formed around 1965. Its initial goals were very modest. It was just a bunch of people who "enjoyed meeting at the dump, drinking beer and shooting rats." But soon it started hosting an annual parade through the town, accompanied by the crowning of "Miss Dumpy." The parade and Miss Dumpy contest continued until 1982. They were briefly revived in 2003 to celebrate the town's 350th anniversary. Info from SeaCoastOnline.com: The organization started because people just enjoyed meeting at the dump, drinking beer and shooting rats, [founding member Stan] Meserve said... The organization did everything from publishing a book about dumping and a book on "dumpology" to creating a marching song, Meserve said. One of the organization's slogans was "Our smell is swell." Of, course, one of the most important functions for the group was the crowning of Miss Dumpy and the Dump Parade. Meserve said he thought the parade go so much attention because "it was so wacky." The first Miss Dumpy to be crowned was Hazel Wildes, who participated in every dump parade after that, according to Janet Falconer, one of the organizers of the last few dump parades. Every parade would end at the dump, Meserve recalled. During one parade in the 1970s, Meserve was in the lead car with Mayo and noticed a Cadillac from New York pull in behind the parade line. When they finally reached the dump, the passenger got out of the Cadillac and said, "This is nothing but a [expletive] dump," Meserve recalled. Mayo reproved of the sentiment, saying that they were very sensitive about their dump. And yet, Meserve said there was really no reason for any of the festivities. "There was no reason that was worth anything," Meserve said. "It was just for the hell of it." More info: NewEngland.com Portland Press Herald - July 3, 1970 National Geographic - Apr 1983
The Kennebunkport Dump Association (of Kennebunkport, Maine) formed around 1965. Its initial goals were very modest. It was just a bunch of people who "enjoyed meeting at the dump, drinking beer and shooting rats."
But soon it started hosting an annual parade through the town, accompanied by the crowning of "Miss Dumpy." The parade and Miss Dumpy contest continued until 1982. They were briefly revived in 2003 to celebrate the town's 350th anniversary.
Info from SeaCoastOnline.com:
More info: NewEngland.com
But soon it started hosting an annual parade through the town, accompanied by the crowning of "Miss Dumpy." The parade and Miss Dumpy contest continued until 1982. They were briefly revived in 2003 to celebrate the town's 350th anniversary.
Info from SeaCoastOnline.com:
The organization started because people just enjoyed meeting at the dump, drinking beer and shooting rats, [founding member Stan] Meserve said...
The organization did everything from publishing a book about dumping and a book on "dumpology" to creating a marching song, Meserve said. One of the organization's slogans was "Our smell is swell." Of, course, one of the most important functions for the group was the crowning of Miss Dumpy and the Dump Parade.
Meserve said he thought the parade go so much attention because "it was so wacky." The first Miss Dumpy to be crowned was Hazel Wildes, who participated in every dump parade after that, according to Janet Falconer, one of the organizers of the last few dump parades.
Every parade would end at the dump, Meserve recalled. During one parade in the 1970s, Meserve was in the lead car with Mayo and noticed a Cadillac from New York pull in behind the parade line.
When they finally reached the dump, the passenger got out of the Cadillac and said, "This is nothing but a [expletive] dump," Meserve recalled.
Mayo reproved of the sentiment, saying that they were very sensitive about their dump.
And yet, Meserve said there was really no reason for any of the festivities.
"There was no reason that was worth anything," Meserve said. "It was just for the hell of it."
The organization did everything from publishing a book about dumping and a book on "dumpology" to creating a marching song, Meserve said. One of the organization's slogans was "Our smell is swell." Of, course, one of the most important functions for the group was the crowning of Miss Dumpy and the Dump Parade.
Meserve said he thought the parade go so much attention because "it was so wacky." The first Miss Dumpy to be crowned was Hazel Wildes, who participated in every dump parade after that, according to Janet Falconer, one of the organizers of the last few dump parades.
Every parade would end at the dump, Meserve recalled. During one parade in the 1970s, Meserve was in the lead car with Mayo and noticed a Cadillac from New York pull in behind the parade line.
When they finally reached the dump, the passenger got out of the Cadillac and said, "This is nothing but a [expletive] dump," Meserve recalled.
Mayo reproved of the sentiment, saying that they were very sensitive about their dump.
And yet, Meserve said there was really no reason for any of the festivities.
"There was no reason that was worth anything," Meserve said. "It was just for the hell of it."
More info: NewEngland.com
Portland Press Herald - July 3, 1970
National Geographic - Apr 1983
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