The 1920s were alive Saturday at Havre de Grace's 4th Graw Days Festival.
The fest put on by Main Street Havre de Grace celebrates the historic town's horse racing heyday, which flourished during the 1920s when The Graw would attract people from around the country to drink, gamble and have an all-around great time at the race track.
Stretching along Washington Street and Pennington Avenue, the festival hosted local artisans selling not only horse and '20s-themed goods, but also crafts such as wreaths, painted crab shells and origami ornaments.
Many people brought their dogs to roam the streets, as well, and would stop to mingle with others who brought their four-legged friends.
The feel of the 1920s was everywhere. A purple antique car was parked near MacGregor's Restaurant on the corner of Washington and St. John streets and large, black painted silhouettes of a flapper and handsomely-dressed man were visible from several tents.
Eileen Taylor, 60 of Havre de Grace, was there with her family and browsing the different craft booths. It was her first time going to the Graw Days festival and she was excited to "see all the different displays." She commented that her grandson was excited to ride a pony.
"It looks bigger than I heard it has been," Taylor said of her first impression. But that wasn't a bad thing. "It draws more people to the area," she said, adding that it gives a chance for people to wander around this "historic area of Harford County."
Jennifer Ebaugh and Candace Goldstein also knew about drawing a crowd — the two were dressed up in '20s costumes, volunteering for Main Street Havre de Grace.
Ebaugh, 36, of Havre de Grace and dressed as a flapper, said she was just happy to "be able to support the town" in any way. Goldstein, 29, also of Havre de Grace, added that the gorgeous weather didn't hurt, either. She looked like she could be part of the mafia and held a toy machine gun. This was the ladies' third year volunteering.
"It's just, you know, I think being a part of something bigger [for] the community," Goldstein said about volunteering for the festival. She mentioned that being part of the community was frequently stopping for photos. The two also stood in front of a speakeasy façade where people could pose alongside of them.
People were also able to sit back, relax and eat a crabcake or have a drink in the beer garden while listening to a trio of musicians play songs right out of the time period.
Dylan Morris, 24, and his girlfriend, Amy Steiner, 25, sat outside of Java by the Bay in the shade with their American bulldog, Thor. The couple, both from Rising Sun, had heard about the festival and thought it would be a good opportunity to take Thor out for a walk and socialize with others. It was their first time at the festival.
"The music's pretty good," Morris said about his impression of the festival. "It's great weather, too." While the two weren't looking for anything particular that day, they were happy to enjoy the fresh air, eat some ice cream and walk around with Thor.
The party continued Saturday night at the Graw Gala at St. Patrick's Hall, where people in costume or black tie attire could eat, drink, dance, bid in a silent auction and rub elbows with some notorious '20s characters.