PHILLIPS — The 65th Annual Phillips Old Home Days highlighted its weeklong celebration with a parade Friday evening, Aug. 16. Crowds lined the streets in anticipation, waiting for the floats, candy, stuffed animals and freeze pops.  The parade featured a variety of floats, performances and community involvement, all embracing this year’s theme: “Tell me you are from Maine without tellin’ me you are from Maine.” Among the highlights was a special appearance by Coach Darren Allen and the Mount Abram Regional High School Gold Ball Soccer Team, who rode in the parade as this year’s honored champions. The team was recognized for their achievements, making the community proud.

Parade Winners:
• Most Beautiful: Belly Dancers, R & H Property, Dirty Smoky barbecue
• Funniest: Party Like Ronnie Cash, Lawn Mower Yard Work, 4-Wheeler Truck
• Youth: Wonderland Vacation, Cal Ripken, Gold Ball
• Most Original: Wayne Bredeau Memorial, Vacationland, Legion
• Judges’ Choice: United Way of the Tri-Valley Area

The event also featured a car show with 37 entries. The top three were:
1. Danny Poulin – 1964 Ford Galaxy XL
2. Rick and Sandy Wilson – 1958 Chevy Belair
3. Fraser, Katie and Toby Burns – 1979 Ford F-150

The community’s artistic side shone in the photo contest, with winners including:
• Animals: Jim Erb – Me and My Little Buddy
• Original to Theme: Cindy Rand – Chickadee
• Landscapes: Charlotte Grassett – Heaven’s Rainbow
• People: Brenda Wilcox – Dad
• Black and White: Vanessa Barker – Starburst
• Children’s Photo Contest: Kelsey Bachelder – The Beach

In the flower show, winners were:
• First Place: Sandy Wilbur – Hydrangea Mix
• Original to Theme: Brenda Wilcox – Champagne of Maine
• Prettiest: Amanda Harnes – Summertime
• Adult Judges’ Choice [Flowers]: Paula Kane – You’ll Know You’re from Maine
• Adult Judges’ Choice [Photos]: Roberta Howard – Cabbage Island
• Children’s Overall Judges’ Choice: Ivy Norton – Bluey
• Children’s Flower Show: Finley Ellis – Summer Sunlight

The bike races were another big hit this year, with children of all ages participating. Special thanks were given to Bobbi Lilley for organizing the event. The first-place winners in each category were:
• 0-5 Pedal: Cole Weatherbee
• 0-5 Training Wheels and Striders: Ivy Norton
• 6-8 Age Group: Charlotte Weatherbee
• 9-11 Age Group: Luam Dubois
• 12-14 Age Group: Kasen McGlynn

Overall bike race winners were Ivy Norton and Colton Campbell.

The weeklong festivities included numerous community-driven events such as a glow night Aug. 13 at the Phillips Area Community Center [PACC], featuring glow games and balloon twisting for kids. A cribbage tournament held Aug. 12 marked the first since 2021, with Mike Spear and Eric Adams taking first place among 19 teams.

The 44th Bill Robichaud Volleyball Tournament was another highlight, with 11 teams competing on a beautiful day at North Franklin Park.

The Narrow Gauge Quilter’s show Aug. 16-17 was held at the Little White Church in Phillips, featuring the Quilting B’s raffle quilt. Anne Baker of Freeman was the Viewer’s Choice, visitors vote for the quilt they like the best in show.

The Michaela Morgan Memorial Scholarship Fund, which hosted a basketball tournament earlier in the week also held a successful shed raffle that raised $2,400 for the scholarship. Patti Wilcox won the raffle and took home the shed.

Notable honors included the crowning of the Old Home Days King and Queen, with Sophie Burns and Winston receiving $100 gift cards donated by Sandy River Shop and Save.

Additionally, Conley Gould Sr. was celebrated as one of the 2024 Honored Lumbermen during the annual lumber competition Aug. 17, which featured events like bucksaw and dot split cross. The overall points winners in the lumber competition were:
• First Place: Pete White
• Second Place: Dalton Gordon
• Third Place: Josh Boivin
The Honored Lumbermen for 2024 were Conley Gould, Ivan Gould, Lester Gould and “Big John.”

The festival wrapped up with more traditional competitions, including horse pulling and the frog-jumping contest Aug. 18.

Reflecting on the event, organizer Brenda Wilcox expressed her gratitude in a post on the Phillips Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. “As Old Home Days is coming to an end, I just wanted to take a moment to thank all the sponsors, volunteers, event planners, chamber members, and safety crews who made this Old Home Days one that I will fondly remember. It was such a fun, coming together week for so many near and far. I saw a lot of community pride and support for each other here in our little town of Phillips.”

Wilcox, who has managed the Chamber for the past four years, announced she will be stepping down as president at the next monthly Chamber meeting. “I will stay involved in the Chamber but on a much lower scale,” she said. “I am confident we can elect a new group of officers that will be able to bring fresh ideas and energy to this town. I am really looking forward to see what 2025 brings to our community and looking forward to the 66th Phillips Old Home Days in Aug. 2025.”