FARMINGTON – More than 1,000 people were drawn to Saturday’s Chester Greenwood Day parade, which lasted nearly an hour, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lorna Nichols said early Saturday evening when contacted at home by phone.

“It was festive! The kids absolutely go crazy at the parade,” Nichols said.

“I spoke with members of the Greenwood family who said this was the biggest and best ever. They were pleased and very happy. The community is responding, and, it’s really nice,” she added.

Camden National Bank won first place for its parade float, Interact Club took second, and Chesterville Grange won third place. A total of $500 in prize money was also divvied up for the top three spots.

The event also attracted people from away, thanks to the chamber.

Nichols said that prior to Chester Greenwood Day, a Boston Globe employee contacted her for information about the event, and asked for a photograph to be placed on their Web site. It still filled the No. 2 spot Saturday on the Globe’s Top 20 Things To Do In New England this weekend.

Then, Nichols added, XM Satellite Radio learned about the activities and wanted to broadcast it, so she filled them in, as well.

“It’s nice to have people from away come. I spoke with a couple from Pennsylvania who participated in the chili contest …I went to shake her hand and she hugged me. She said both she and her husband thought this was

fantastic!” Nichols said.

Entrants in the chili cook-off grew from five last year to 11 on Saturday. The food attracted 150 people, who participated in the judging, Nichols said.

Nikki Baylis of Jay took first place, Farmington’s Soup For You owner, Em Reeve, took second, and Nichols won third place, which she said she valued more than the money. Baylis and Reeve split the $100 cash prize after Nichols declined her share.

And, despite the bone-numbing wind, cake and ice cream were also served.

“We had a very large birthday cake donated by Hannaford and Gifford’s donated six to eight half-gallons of ice cream. The folks really liked having cake and ice cream after eating the chili,” Nichols said.

Anyone who missed the event can catch a recap soon. Nichols said that within the next week or so, the chamber will do a Podcast about it, and include information about upcoming activities.

-Terry Karkos