ANDOVER – Andover Olde Home Days kick off with a gardening contest at 10 a.m. Thursday and end with an all-day horse show Sunday in South Andover.

And in between this year’s festival, titled “A River Runs Through It” in honor of the Ellis River, there are events ranging from the grand parade starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and a classic car show all day Saturday, to a band concert at the common at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

New this year is a horseshoe tournament with sign-ups at noon, and start time at 1 p.m. Saturday at the rear of the fire station.

Entries for the 56th annual flower show at the Andover Historical Society building, in 12 categories, will be taken from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday. Doors will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. At the nearby town hall, a photography exhibit will be on display all day Saturday, with ribbons given in various classes and categories.

Other events on Saturday, the primary day of the festival, include: 4.5 and 1 mile foot races beginning at 8 a.m. at Andover Elementary School, a bicycle and doll carriage parade at 9:30 a.m., children’s games at Morse’s lawn from 11 a.m. on, a pie-eating contest at 11:30 a.m. near the tennis court, a fly casting contest at 12:30 p.m. at Morse’s lawn, a fire muster at 1 p.m. at the Little League field, and arm wrestling at 5 p.m. at the gazebo.

Plenty of food will also be available throughout the day, including coffee, doughnuts, lunch and cookies at the Congregational Church from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a chicken barbecue beginning at 11 a.m. at the fire station, among others.

Music includes a lap harp concert at 1 p.m. at the Congregational Church, karaoke at the bandstand at 3 p.m., and a dance at the fire station at 8 p.m.

Throughout the day, vendors will offer wares, horse-drawn wagon rides will be given by Harry Hitchinson, and transportation will be provided from the lower recreational field to the church parking lot by Western Maine Transportation.

Also available will be Olde Home Day tee-shirts, buttons and a 50/50 raffle.