After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the four-day Bath Heritage Days celebration is back in all its traditional glory.

The 48th annual festival running Friday through July 4 will include a parade, Art in the Park, carnival, live music, beer garden and fireworks over the Kennebec River – all the things the usual 20,000-30,000 attendees at past Bath Heritage Days have come to expect.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure we bring back as many elements as possible from years before,” said Amanda McDaniel, director of Main Street Bath — a downtown development organization — and organizer of the event. “We really want to be able to bring it back as people remember it.” 

Bath City Manager Marc Meyers is pleased with that approach.

“Main Street Bath dusted off the playbook from previous Heritage Days and is trying to put on the event in honoring the tradition of how it’s been held in past years,” Meyers said. 

He grew up in the city and has a nostalgic connection to the event, he said, especially to the annual Independence Day parade.

“I was involved in the parade as a kid,” Meyers said, “and I think it’s a great reflection of our community. There’s really something special about it.”

Other big events are the antique car show and the fireman’s muster, featuring old fire trucks that are operated by hand, and Art in the Park, a two-day curated art event. The Friends of the Patten Free Library’s book sale fundraiser also “is really beloved in this town,” McDaniel said.

Live music will be incorporated into all four days, with a variety of artists and performers attending. 

“Music has always been a huge part of Heritage Days,” McDaniel said. 

Troy Hudson of the rock band Troy Hudson and the High Road, which will perform Friday, said he and his bandmates grew up in Bath, and they’re excited to play there for the first time.

“Having our debut in Bath is pretty special,” Hudson said.  “As a kid, you couldn’t miss Heritage Days. You had to be there.” 

The rock duo Muddy Ruckus will perform Sunday.

“The people of Bath have always welcomed us lovingly and we’re really looking forward to connecting with the community there again,” said drummer Erika Stahl. 

Massachusetts-based Americana band Cold Chocolate, which also will perform on Sunday, always enjoys its time in Bath, said vocalist and guitarist Ethan Robbins.

“It’s a pretty dedicated live music community,” he said. 

Main Street Bath expects just under 5,000 attendees each day of the festival. 

“This is a huge event that is pulled off by two Main Street Bath employees and about 60 volunteers,”  McDaniel said. “This is through the efforts of our community that we are able to bring this celebration together again.” 

McDaniel and her assistant, Camille Kauffunger, led the organization of this year’s return of Bath Heritage Days. The event is a primary focus of Main Street Bath, which promotes downtown Bath.

Heritage Days will take place completely outdoors, so no COVID-19 restrictions are in place. For more information, including a schedule of events, to visitbath.com/events/heritage-days/.

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