Olde Home Days Pictures

The decorations are up.

Friday evening concert kicks off the Olde Home Days celebration.

Saturday- Olde Home Days

 Saturday morning the Annual Olde Home Days Road Race for old & young alike is off.

Saturday Morning- The Olde Home Days Parade

Everyone lines up along the Parade Route to get a good front row seat and to catch the candy that gets thrown from the Fire trucks and people in the parade.

Yup everyone lines up for the goodies.

There's Bands.

Horses & Riders

The Thin Man.

The Floats

Yes- even Indians.

Local Game Warden doing some kind of dance- I'm not sure what. I think maybe it's to keep the rain away. This was the wettest summer on record. He must have done a real good job, cause it didn't rain all day.

The Barrel Train

ATV Riders

The Military Vehicles.

Plug your ears.... Lots of Fire Trucks that kids love cause they blow their sirens and honk their air horns.

Kids Parade.

The annual barbequed chicken dinner at the Firehouse. Yum.

Run into some of your old weird friends.

Get in on the Horseshoe Tournament.

Checkout the quilt show and maybe enter one.

Checkout the vendors on the common for a good fried clam dinner or a good massage.

Many people like to hang out at the common and visit old friends and get in on the raffle drawings for some great prizes. Later on maybe get in on the Karaoke contest.

Hop aboard the horse drawn trolley ride to see some of the town.

Checkout some of the classic cars at the auto show.

This sweet Antique car driven by Scott Farrington used to be owned by Robert Swain Sr. He sent me the following information about it. Robert graciously gave the car to Scott Farrington probably because he knew he would appreciate it and take good care of it.

"I bought the old 1932 Pontiac car from Ernie Combs, the original owner,
for $150 in 1959, when I was in about the eighth grade. Saved up the
money by selling a beef cow and her calf, and by selling the "Grit".

It's my understanding that Robert graciously gave the car to Scott Farrington, probably because he knew he would appreciate it and take good care of it. Scott uses the car to drive some of Andover's elderly around during Olde Home Days, Memorial Day, Birthdays, and other special events like this.

 

The Antique Auto Show. Some Hot cars.

How about participating in the cow chip throwing contest, or maybe the pie eating contest.

Fly Casting Contest. We've had so much rain that even though this was held on someone's front lawn.. when the boy cast out his line he actually got a fish.

New event this year 2009 for Olde Home Days. Tractor races. Where's "Tim The Tool Man" when you need him.

Kids & grownups alike participated. I think this might be a big event next year.

Pie eating contest.

Got some good pictures or paintings you would like to enter in the contest. Just go to the town hall. I believe these do have to be entered in advance of the start of Olde Home Days.

Go next door and take a tour of the Historical Society Building for some neat looks at the history of Andover.

For you horse lovers don't miss the riding events that are taking place at the Ellis River Riders riding facilities in South Andover on Airport Road both Saturday & Sunday there are events going on.

Ellis River Rider's Grounds & Facility before the crowd hits. There are concession stands with some great food and bleachers to sit and watch the events.

Don't forget the dance at the Fire House on Saturday night.

Olde Home Days Metal Button Pin- In Memory of Otis Morton

 Andover has it's first train (Barrell Ride) and it looks great. It's rolled into service on "Olde Home Days" weekend. It gave free rides all day to kids.  It has a total of 11 cars. This is strictly a passenger train at this time.

  There are numerous sponsors for the first running of the Andover Train. As you can see from the pictures, a sponsor can have their name put on 1 side or end of a car for $25. I believe this years sponsors are already full.

This train is all American made right here in Andover by some highly skilled engineers from our own hometown. (Jim Coolidge & a bunch of other guys from the Calvary Bible Church who I do not have the names of did a great job) Very high quality workmanship. Made from 50 gallon drums. The steering wheels are made from shutoff valves that came from the Andover Wood Products Mill. The seats were made from chairs that came from a school and the Caboose was a seat taken from...I forget what. Still a pretty innovative and recycled marvel. 

Hope to see you at the annual "Andover Olde Home Days" in 2009

 *Questions regarding rates and availability of vendor booths at Olde Home Days contact Judy Michaud 207-392-1221

 In order to keep the disorderly conduct to a minimum during Olde Home Days, the town passed an ordinance to limit the number of alcoholic drinks to one per person. 

Now if they could just get people to leave their dogs home!