WILTON — Events planned Friday, Aug. 2, as part of the annual Wilton Blueberry Festival saw scores of people attending. Some were visiting the small western Maine town for the first time while for others it was a return home.

Friday morning saw Sandra Muller of Wilton purchasing tickets for the chicken barbecue set for that night at First Congregational Church UCC from member Rhonda Schanck. Mary Kalel of Dixfield quickly grabbed a blueberry pie.

Other food items, vegetables, bouquets and raffle tickets were also being sold in front of the church on Main Street. The church’s annual blueberry bazaar fundraiser begun decades ago was the precursor of today’s festival.

Down the street at the United Methodist Church tables were laden with a variety of baked goods and a few boxes of blueberries. Brian Takasaki carried a box with blueberries and a few treats in it while he and his son, John tried to decide what else to purchase. From Natick, Massachusetts, the Takasakis were visiting Wilton for the first time. They are part of a group visiting Maine to help with Mission at the Eastwood [MATE, an organization based in Farmington serves families in rural central Maine] projects.

Melanie Johnson of Strong at left hands a box of lobster roll lunches to Clint Stinchcomb, now of Washington D.C., but originally from Wilton Friday morning, Aug. 2, in the United Methodist Church on Main Street in Wilton. Johnson is a member of the church which was selling the lunches and baked goods during the Wilton Blueberry Festival. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Meanwhile, Clint Stinchcomb took the box holding lobster roll lunches he had ordered from Melanie Johnson, a church member from Strong. Stinchcomb said he now lives in Washington, D.C. but was originally from Wilton.

Tables covered with boxes of books lined one wall at the former Bass factory on Weld Road. The Wilton Free Public Library has a large space inside where book sales are held to support the library.

Judy Metcalf of East Wilton was searching for mysteries.

Summer Moody of Farmington asked Christopher Ortiz of Jay about the book she held up. Ortiz said he likes books about dinosaurs.

Other people searched out particular genres of books to add to their collection while volunteers helped restock shelves.

Three-year old Theo Xanthos of Oregon in front and five-year old Sean Chenery of Wilton play Friday night, Aug. 2, near the Civil War Monument on Main Street in Wilton. Food trucks, local eateries and a street dance there were part of the annual Wilton Blueberry Festival. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Friday night activity shifted to the area near the Civil War Monument for the food and street dance. Five-year old Mila Bourassa of Wilton made inroads on the blue cone of cotton candy obtained from a booth owned by Steve Chenery, also of Wilton. Six-year old Brayden Orff, of Wilton was seated at one of the tables set up outside The Square-Downtown Wilton eating the bun from his hot dog meal.

Three-year old Theo Xanthos of Oregon lands Friday night, Aug. 2, after jumping from the Civil War Monument on Main Street in Wilton. The area was filled with people waiting for the street dance, part of the annual Wilton Blueberry Festival festivities to begin. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Meanwhile, 11-month old Harper Xanthos from Oregon played with a water bottle while seated on the grass. Her dad, who said he was originally from Wilton watched as brother, three-year old Theo Xanthos, five-year old Sean Chenery of Wilton and other youngsters used the monument as a diving board. Sometimes the youth landed successfully beyond the boxes filled with petunias at the monument’s base. On other attempts they ended up partially or completely amongst the flowers.

It’s so nice they have this Friday night, one mom was heard saying. More children ran around while a few crawled towards parents sitting on the cement curbing along the street’s edge.

Irene Haynes of Rumford and John White of Woodstock had set their chairs to face the area where the band was getting ready to play. Haynes said she came last year, added, “it is a lot better weather this year. It took us forever to find blueberry ice cream.”

This was White’s first year. He said he came to “listen to the band for a little bit, watch the street dance.”

As Tim Lambert and other members of High Mileage started to perform, toes began to tap, bodies swayed and other forms of individual expression were seen.