Dressed in period costumes at the 2022 Hannibal Hamlin Birthday Celebration in Paris, from left, are Carla Rose Dubois, Marcel Dubois, Amadea Dubois, Cosima Dubois, Pieta Dubois, Paul Menezes (a.k.a. Hannibal Hamlin), Richard Bennett and Karen Bennett. Aranka Matolcsy photo

PARIS — Friends of First Baptist Church of Paris, Maine plans to hold the third annual Hannibal Hamlin Birthday Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, on the Paris Hill Common at 500 Paris Hill Road.

This is a throwback celebration, evoking the spirit of the 19th century and honoring the man who served as Abraham Lincoln’s first vice-president.

Friends of First Baptist Church is a secular, not-for-profit community organization dedicated to the preservation of the church building on Paris Hill and the Common, according to a news release from Nancy Cushman with the event.

The celebration aims to be a festive day that offers games and entertainment for children and adults; admission and parking are free.

Paul Menezes, who played the Hannibal Hamlin host for the day in 2022, left, with special guest Jerry Mathers. Menezes will be back as Hamlin again this year. Aranka Matolcsy photo

For the second year in a row Jerry Mathers, star of the 1960’s TV show “Leave it to Beaver,” will attend. At 1 p.m. Mathers and Hannibal Hamlin will host a quick quiz show about “Leave it to Beaver” before he meets and signs autographs with attendees.

The festivities also include the third annual State of Maine Cake-Decorating Contest, with a $1,000 grand prize, $500 second-place prize and many other kitchen tools for prizes. The cakes will be judged in the morning and available to view at 12:30 p.m. Sampling and awards will take place at 2 p.m.

For more information or to enter the contest, send a message through the event Facebook page.

The day features entertainment on the stage by The Hadacol Bouncers, a New Orleans style jazz band; Phil Smith, the Maine magician; as well as the White House Chefs, who will show their culinary secrets and share some of their unusual stories of working in the White House under several presidents.

For a full listing of times, visit parishill.org.

There will be an old-fashioned lemonade stand, popcorn sold from a vintage sidewalk cart, and lots of food hot off the grill, such as sausages with peppers and onions, burgers, hotdogs and more for sale.

There will be games for children, bell-ringing, a spirited pie-eating contest and horse-drawn wagon rides around Paris Hill.

A scene from the 2022 Hannibal Hamlin Birthday Celebration in Paris. Aranka Matolcsy photo

The Hannibal Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum, housed in the old county jail, will be open for the day, and visitors can go into this historic stone building to see the books and other artifacts. And a neighbor on the hill will offer guided tours of the homes and former businesses and town government buildings around the common.

Children can enjoy the farm animals pen, featuring goats, sheep and rabbits, and a Gems Table that showcases the variety of rocks and gems found in the Oxford Hills of Maine.

Attendees can visit with Cheeto, the arson dog, who helps the fire marshal’s office track down the source of suspicious fires. And representatives from Oxford County Dispatch will have information about CPR and what one should know when one has an emergency and has to call 911.

Friends of First Baptist Church invites everyone to come see the church and grounds. The group has just completed some restoration work at the church, including a major project on the steeple and the restoration and painting of the exterior, including the antique windows and shutters. The present church building dates back to 1838.

The extensive restoration projects have been made possible through some extraordinary fundraising efforts by the group and citizens over the past three years and by significant grants from The Maine Steeples Fund and The Davis Foundation. This event raised more than $20,000 last year.

Business sponsors for this year’s celebration include Head Invest, Goodwin Motor Group, Ripley & Fletcher Ford, Baker Newman & Noyes, Cross Insurance, Healing Home Foods and Valley View Orchard Pies.

For more information, contact Cushman at ncushman@speedwayinc.net or 207-890-5891.

Check out other upcoming area events!