ANDOVER — Fifty years ago on July 10, 1962, a 171-pound satellite named Telstar was launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The following day, live television and telecommunications via the Telstar satellite debuted at AT&T’s Andover Earth Station.

This year’s 32nd annual Andover Olde Home Day on Saturday, Aug. 4, revolves around that important bit of history.

At 10 a.m., residents will launch the annual parade up Main Street from the Transfer Station Road. The theme is “Telstar Satellite Celebrating 50 Years — The Sky’s the Limit.”

Float prizes are $100 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place, Jane Rich, the Andover columnist for The Bethel Citizen said on July 12.

Two numbered buttons will mark the special event, according to a Tuesday news release. A square one depicts the horn reflector antenna and a round one shows the bubble, which housed the earth station’s antenna that beamed the signal.

Various prizes will be awarded at the bandstand to those whose numbers have been picked at random, starting at 12:30 p.m.

Additionally, blue T-shirts to represent the sky, show the Telstar satellite with rays coming down to Andover and Holmdale, N.J.

Andover was the relay point from England and France.

Buttons and T-shirts will be on sale on Friday evening at the band concert on the common featuring Noel Palmer, and on Saturday.

Old Home Days is a celebration of Andover’s history. It began in 1980 and has evolved into a four-day event.

The annual Garden Contest will be held and judged Thursday, Aug. 2.

Categories are flowers, vegetables, organic, flower design and Violet Swain, which is flowers of one species. There is a new garden division of up to three years and established, and four years or older.

Photo contest categories are portrait, landscape, animal, Photoshop and black and white. There are two age groups: children 17 and under, and adults 18 and older.

Entries for the contest may be submitted at the Town Hall from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 27; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 29; and from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 30, and Wednesday, Aug. 1. For more information, or to drop off photographs, call Kelly or Ray at 369-0559.

There will be a band concert at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, on the Andover Common.

Activities on Saturday, Aug. 4, start at 8 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts at the First Congregational Church Christian Education Building, where a quilt show will also be held in memory of well-known area quilter Joyce Frazier.

Some of the original AT&T crew who worked on the satellite station will be in town for a meet-and-greet session.

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Western Maine Street Rods will display their classic and antique cars at Akers Field.

The Ellis River Riders will also hold activities on Saturday and Sunday at their facility off Airport Road.

Throughout the day there will be many activities on the Common, at the Historical Building, Town Hall, the fire station and along Main Street. These include children’s games, a pie-eating contest, chicken barbecue, lawn-tractor races at Grimaldi Field, arm wrestling and a skillet-throwing contest.

The library will feature a book sale and the Pennacook art show, displaying the works of former Andover resident Christie Mulvaney.

Capping the day, Rumford rock band Monsta will perform live for dancing at the fire station.

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