HALLOWELL — A little running, a little shopping, a parade, lots of music and fireworks bring the crowds from across central Maine and farther away every year to this riverfront city.

For nearly six decades, Old Hallowell Day, which stretches over three days, has celebrated the city and its residents.

This year, Old Hallowell Day kicked off with an evening of entertainment, including the Central Maine Idol Finale, the 30th annual Cribbage Tournament and Stephen DeFerie’s “A Play about a Dragon” presented by the Gaslight Theater at the Vaughan Homestead Pavilion, with additional performances on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday’s events included road and bike races, a farmers market at Stevens Common, a book sale at the Hubbard Free Library, a yard sale at the Cotton Mill Apartments, a scavenger hunt and an arts and crafts fair.

At 10 a.m. the parade kicked off on Water Street.

“There were just so many people on the shady side and I’m on the sunny side waving,” said Hallowell Community Band member Laura Begenwald. “I just love the little kids and the expression on their face of just, ‘Wow what’s going on? Music, wow!’”

Begenwald, a percussionist from Augusta, who played the bells in the Hallowell Community Band’s post-parade concert, was waving and trying to get spectators clapping during the parade.

Amy Cyr and her husband, David, arrived early at the Hubbard Free Library to wait in line for the annual book sale.

She explained her strategy: “I have a plan. I don’t go to the first table because it’s going to get really crowded. I immediately go into the middle and work my way out. I stay in fiction and he stays in non-fiction, and he carries everything.”

“I think it’s the pattern, the consistency,” she said. “So you always do the book sale, then you always go down and look at the crafts and then always have the parade and then always find somewhere wonderful to eat. I think it’s the whole vibe of the whole day. Then we go home and cool off for a while, then come back for the fireworks.”

Hubbard Free Library Director Annemarie Jirkovsky said that the annual sale, which starts an hour before the Old Hallowell Day parade, is their biggest fundraiser.

Across several locations, bands and musicians included Delco Ray, Marcia Gallagher, The Boneheads and the Shakes.

The day ended with a fireworks display over the Kennebec River.

On Sunday, there will be a raffle drawing for the original painting “Uplifting” by artist Chris Blanchard.

The event has been a Hallowell tradition, taking place on the third Saturday in July every year since 1968.