For more than a decade, West Paris has gone without one of its most cherished traditions.

This summer, Old Home Days will return Saturday, June 27, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the grounds of the West Paris Town Office.

Jeff Holley, who moved to town about four and a half years ago after a 27-year career in the U.S. Air Force, is helping lead the effort to revive the celebration. The last Old Home Days was held in 2014, when Holley was stationed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

“I’m involved in the community,” he said. “I love this town. I want to bring the town back to life. The heart of this town is beautiful. Let’s get it beating a little bit louder…”

For $5, participants will get a sledgehammer and safety glasses so they can “smash a car.” A bounce house, food truck and games are also planned. Organizers hope to add a jailhouse attraction where people can lock each other up. Holley said the details have not been finalized, but those locked up will likely be able to get out faster if they can post bail.

Three meals are in the works: a breakfast sponsored by the Mollyockett Sportsman’s Club and President Tom Hughes; a lunch hosted by Downhill Derby and Director Steve McCann; and a dinner hosted by the West Paris Fire Department.

Organizers also hope to have bands performing in the evening and a solo artist during the day while vendors sell their wares.

Besides McCann and Hughes, other volunteers include Lisa McCann, Linda Linindoll, Patty Pittman and Arts to Transcend co-founder Jessica Allen.

Holley said he took on the project after hearing longtime residents talk about how much they missed the celebration.

His own connection to the town is, in part, through the home he owns on Main Street. It is the former Benson estate, once home to one of the town’s most influential families.

The Bensons, said Holley, “were the heart of West Paris” and helped shape the community.

In addition to organizing Old Home Days, Holley has led the town’s annual spring cleanup for the past four years and serves on the planning board. This year’s cleanup is scheduled for April 11.

Before settling in West Paris, Holley served 27 years in the Air Force.

“I have lived in 34 places in this world,” he said. “Everywhere from Hawaii to Iraq. I came here and this place just touches my heart, something. It speaks to me. I have adopted it as my hometown.”