FARMINGTON — The Farmington Fourth of July parade takes on a literary theme this year. 

The parade’s sponsor, the Farmington Rotary Club, invites the public to “pull your favorite book off the shelf and bring it to life” for the parade. This year’s theme is “My Favorite Book.”

The parade starts at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 4. Parade participants should start lining up at 8 a.m. in the UMF parking lot at the corner of Perkins and Quebec streets. There will be ribbons for all entries. The top honor is the Judges’ Choice Award.

“We are looking forward to some creative choices with that theme,” Tom Sawyer, president of the Rotary Club of Farmington, said. “It’s going to be a great event this year. We’ve rounded out the parade with other book-related activities downtown.”

Several local authors will sign their books from 11 a.m. to noon on July 4 in front of Franklin Savings Bank on Main Street. Featured authors are Drew Barton, Gary Edwards, Woody Hanstein, Robert Kimber, Bill Roorbach, Lee Sharkey and Lawrence Wilbur.

Copies of the authors’ books are available at Devaney, Doak and Garrett Booksellers on Broadway. These books will be discounted 10 percent now through July 4.

Literacy Volunteers will have a drop box in front of Devaney, Doak and Garrett and Twice Sold Tales on Main Street to make it easy for people to share some past favorite books with emerging readers.

A bake sale takes place in front of Franklin Savings Bank from 11 a.m. to noon to benefit school libraries at Cape Cod Hill School, Gerald D. Cushing School and the W.G. Mallett School. The bake sale will be hosted by EarlyAct, a Farmington Rotary-sponsored youth club. EarlyAct member Ellie Marshall will be on hand to serve up the treats. Proceeds from this sale will be matched by Franklin Savings Bank.

For more information, contact Tom Sawyer at 778-2900 or Joyce King at 778-3375.