RANGELEY – Don Palmer was happy to see the turnout at the 10th annual Sporting Heritage Day on Tuesday, especially the number of children.

“We want to encourage them to be engaged in these types of activities,” said the president of the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association, which organized the event. “Our purpose in doing this is to educate the youngsters and adults about the rich sporting heritage in this area.”

The day was filled with fly casting and tying demonstrations, archery, trapshooting, canoe races, field dog trials and cooking over an open fire with an 18th century waffle iron.

Artists, taxidermists and photographers whose work reflects the area’s dedication to the outdoors were also on hand with exhibits. The local historical society offered books about the area, including some that feature Carrie Stevens, who invented the well-known Gray Ghost fly.

Selene Dumaine, who is known as the modern Carrie Stevens, was on hand Tuesday for a fly tying demonstration. She travels the country to give demonstrations. She does replicas of Stevens’ work, and like Stevens she holds the fly in her hand while tying it instead of using a vice.

“It’s very difficult to do,” Palmer said.

Patty Silvia, a student of Dumaine, has been tying flies for four years. On Tuesday, she was working on a breadcrust nymph.

“I catch a lot of fish with this fly,” she said.

After taking up fly fishing six years ago, Silvia wanted to learn how to tie her own flies. “It’s nice to be able to tie a fly and try to figure out what the fish want,” she said.

Silvia has lived in Rangeley for 13 years and enjoys attending Heritage Day. “It’s the fact that it represents nature and the wilderness of the area – the western mountains,” she said of what brings her back year after year to the celebration. “There’s something for everyone.”

The Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association is the oldest in the state, having been founded in 1897, and the largest of its kind in the state with a membership of 500.

“We’ve gone through some peaks and valleys, and right now, we’re on a peak,” Palmer said. “Our membership is the largest ever.”