BATH — After an absence of several years, the chicken barbecue returns June 30 to help kick off the city’s annual Heritage Days celebration.

“It really was quite a revered event,” City Councilor Greg Page, who is coordinating the activity, said Monday. He noted that with the combination of residents, food and music, “it was a true community-spirited event.”

Sunrise Rotary organized the event for more than 20 years, but Page said “it got to be such a large event, and the numbers at the Sunrise Rotary got to be so small, that they couldn’t undertake it anymore.”

Volunteers from the Morse All-Sports Boosters Club and the Main Street Bath organization are partnering to bring back the dinner, which takes place Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Library Park. Funds will go toward each organization’s mission, and tickets are available at downtown businesses in advance at $15 for adults and $10 for children. Tickets will be $20 the day of the event.

Heritage Days runs from Friday through Tuesday, July 4; a full schedule of events can be found at bathheritagedays.com.

Also on Friday, the Friends of Patten Free Library will hold a preview book sale for members only at the Winter Street Church from 5-8 p.m. Smokey’s Greatest Show & Carnival opens at Waterfront Park from 5-11 p.m., and the Independence Jam Skateboard Competition takes place at the Bath Skatepark, 4 Old Brunswick Road, at 6 p.m.

The Friends of Patten book sale runs at the Winter Street Church Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Tuesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Smokey’s is open from noon-11 p.m. Saturday and Tuesday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday, and 1-10 p.m. Monday. Live entertainment is offered at Library and Waterfront parks noon-11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. the next three days.

A fireman’s muster, sponsored by Now You’re Cooking, takes place at the north end of Front Street from noon-3 p.m. Saturday. Also that day will be a farmers market at the Bath Iron Works north end parking lot from 8:30 a.m.-noon, as well as the Maine Artisans’ Marketplace, which is held at Library Park from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and then 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

On Sunday, the Front Street Shuffle Antique Car Show runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., and the Chili-Chowder Fest will be set up at 26 Summer St. from 3-5:30 p.m.

Kids Day, with crafts and other activities, will be celebrated at Library Park from noon to about 3 p.m. Monday, and Smokey’s that day offers a $1-per-ticket special, with all rides costing one or two tickets.

Tuesday kicks off with a 1-mile fun run at 7:30 a.m. and a 5-mile road race at 8:15 a.m., both at City Hall. The Independence Day Parade starts at 10 a.m., following a 9 a.m. pre-parade show. A Maine’s First Ship fireworks party takes place at the Commercial Street Freight Shed from 7-10 p.m., and the Bath Municipal Band will hold a pre-fireworks show at Library Park at 8 p.m.

Fireworks blasts off over the Kennebec River at 9 p.m., bringing Heritage Days to a dynamic ending.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.

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