WESTBROOK – The stage has been set for the 33rd annual Westbrook Together Days, which will bring food, folks and fun to the city’s Riverbank Park on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2.

The festival will kick off in Riverbank Park on Main Street on Friday at 4 p.m. with a full slate of musical entertainment and activities for the whole family.

But it doesn’t end there. On Saturday, there will be a whole slew of activities that are sure to entertain everyone.

Besides the traditional pancake breakfast put on by the Westbrook Boy Scouts, there will be a new event that will draw a lot of interest. At 8 a.m., the first “Run the ‘Brook” 5K and kids fun run will get under way right in front of the park.

After the runners cross the finish line, Main Street becomes the scene of the annual Together Days parade, which will get under way at 10 a.m. The theme of this year’s parade is “Hometown Heroes,” and the special grand marshal is former Westbrook Mayor Bill O’Gara.

After the parade, the activities continue all day long, with performances from groups like the Elite All-Star Cheerleaders, the Drouin Dance Center, the Maine Academy of Gymnastics and many more.

There will also be a full slate of musical acts hitting the stage on Saturday, with several local bands being featured, capped off Motor Booty Affair at 8 p.m. Once Motor Booty Affair is finished bringing funk back to Westbrook, the night will be capped off by a fireworks display, sponsored by Idexx, at 9:45 p.m.

Dr. Warren Lain, who is heading up the committee organizing this year’s festival for the Westbrook/Gorham Chamber of Commerce, said sponsors like Idexx and Sappi Fine Paper, which is sponsoring the musical acts, play a big role in the continuing success of the festival, which typically draws about 15,000-20,000 people to the city each year.

“It really does come down to the big sponsors,” he said, adding that other major sponsors like Pike Industries, Disability RMS, Casella Waste Systems allow organizers to keep the festival growing and adding new things each year.

Lain said that some of the new attractions that will be awaiting festival goers this year will include more local vendors, with an emphasis on local artists.

“We’re having a little bit more of a pull toward getting local artists,” he said. “(They will be selling items like) pottery, jewelry and local crafts.”

He added that real estate company Remax will be hosting tethered hot air balloon rides on Saturday, with the proceeds going to benefit the Mission Possible Teen Center.

Lain said many of the local charities and businesses that have had a presence at the festival year after year will be there, adding that about 70 percent of the vendors come from local businesses or nonprofits.

“It is their biggest fundraiser (of the year),” he said.

Looking forward, Lain said he believes Westbrook Together Days is in a good position to keep on growing and expanding over the years, serving as a great showcase for the city. “There’s a lot of opportunity here and Westbrook’s on the grow,” he said.

For more information, visit www.westbrooktogetherdays.com.

A fireworks spectacle, as seen here from 2011, will once again conclude the annual Together Days festivities in Westbrook. (File photo by Rich Obrey)