This year’s celebration will begin Friday evening.
By Duane Hayes
Special to the Sun Journal

WEST PARIS – With a theme of “Years Gone By,” the town of West Paris will celebrate its fourth annual Old Home Days this weekend, June 6 to 8.

The annual event is a rebirth of a similar celebration that was popular through the 1960s and 1970s. It was brought back in 1999 to help build community spirit and has drawn large crowds over the past four years.

This year’s celebration will begin Friday evening with a library open house, a children’s parade and a bean supper sponsored by the West Paris Historical Society, and other featured events for all ages.

It will continue Saturday with the grand parade starting on Briggs Street at 10 a.m. After the parade, activities will be available all day, including a petting zoo, musical programs, slide shows, beano games for adults, and children’s rides and games. There will also be a bevy of food booths on Kingsbury Street offering refreshments.

Also on Saturday, the West Paris High School Alumni Association will hold its annual banquet and reunion in the Agnes Gray School gymnasium. That event draws many graduates of the high school, who often attend many of the Old Home Days events throughout the weekend.

On Sunday, the main features include soapbox derby racing and an old timer’s baseball game.

A special feature this year will be a chance for people to take a ride in a hot air balloon. There will also be wagon rides, a children’s fishing derby, slot car racing, a woodcarving demonstration and other events.

All in all, there will be something for all ages to do, plenty to eat and, most of all a chance for people to meet old as well as new friends and enjoy a moment away from the usual responsibilities of everyday life, organizers say.

It is hoped by the selectmen and the many volunteers who have worked for the past 12 months that the weather will be good and people come out to support the event.

Copy the Story Link