WEST PARIS – With the theme “Celebrating Our Heritage,” this town celebrated its fifth annual edition of its modern day Old Home Days this past weekend with the largest crowds since its inception in 1999.

The Old Home Days celebration came back to life that year after a 20-year hiatus. It’s grown steadily in popularity since that time, ushering in a new sense of community spirit throughout the town.

According to the general consensus of Old Home Day Committee members and patrons of the events this year, the huge crowds were the result of the sunny late-spring weather and the lack of rain, which interrupted many events over the past four years.

The celebration kicked off Friday with a children’s parade, a public supper at the West Paris Historical Society and other events. Also, the midway on Kingsbury Street opened with games for all ages, musical entertainment and a food booths.

On Saturday, the festivities continued with the grand parade down Main Street, an antique car show, slide shows, mineral tours, beano and a Chinese auction.

A street dance was held during the evening and a fireworks display, with people gathered all across the village area to enjoy the show.

Along with these events, there were pony and wagon rides, a portable sawmill demonstration, musical entertainment and a chicken barbecue, all giving people time to meet old friends and talk of their childhood days.

Sunday featured a downhill soapbox derby race for young people ages 7 to 17, go-cart demonstrations and an old-timers baseball game.

In conjunction with Old Home Days, the annual West Paris High School alumni reunion and banquet was held Saturday evening.

That reunion also drew a large crowd of alumni representing graduating classes from 1927 through recent classes from Oxford Hills High School, which now educates students from the town.