The multi-day craft, food and entertainment festival known as Harbor Days returns to Shipyard Park this week.

While many of the events that have drawn crowds for decades will remain unchanged, there are more kid-friendly options this year, says outgoing Mattapoisett Lions Club President Marianne DeCosta.

“We’ve had people comment before that we didn’t have enough stuff for kids, so this year we are trying to insert that and have a bunch of things geared towards kids,” she said.

For the first time, Grampy’s Train Rides will give kids a spin around the block, with all donations going to the Lions Club.

“It’s a local gentleman who has restored  an engine and four seats that hold kids,” DeCosta said.  “That will be very cute and the kids, once they see that go by, they’ll want to know what that is.”

Joe Guard, the father of Tom Guard of Guard’s Oil, has restored the small train engine and offered to provide his services for Harbor Days.

The train will depart from the Mattapoisett Library on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a short loop past Shipyard Park and back to the library.

Also new this year is a child safety ID program under the tent at the park. On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., members of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department will be on hand to fingerprint kids and register them with the department.

Immediately following that, there will be K-9 dog demonstration by the Sheriff’s Department on the wharf from 1 to 2 p.m.

The Toe Jam Puppet Band will perform at 2:15 p.m. and a face painter will be in the gazebo from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

On Sunday, the Fire Department will be on hand again to show kids and adults how to extinguish fires and they use the jaws of life.

“A lot of little kids really get into watching the jaws of life,” said DeCosta.

If the weather reports are true, kids won’t be the only ones enjoying the outdoor activities at Harbor Days.

“Usually, it’s the hottest weekend of the year. It doesn’t look like that’s going to be the case,” said DeCosta.

With a maximum high of 80 expected throughout the weekend, the Lions Club hopes to draw plenty of visitors to the park, from the Friday night fish fry catered by The Hollywood Scoop to the pancake breakfast on Sunday morning.

DeCosta said the event draws together old friends and current and former residents.

“A lot of the people who come back are people who are coming back to visit mom and dad, and they choose that weekend so they can bring their family to Harbor Days, and so they can see their friends and people they went to school with,” she said.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, the craft fair will fill up the park with a variety of artists, craftspeople and other vendors.

“People say ‘I’ve been waiting all year for this,” said DeCosta. “Some people will come every day.”

There is plenty of food throughout the weekend for those who get hungry while shopping or for those who aren’t big shoppers.

Strawberry shortcake will be served under the tent throughout the weekend, and there is a Saturday night lobster dinner followed by music from the Harpoon Harmonizers.

Hundreds are expected for the pancake and sausage breakfast on Sunday morning.

There will also be entertainment throughout the event, with Dave Charnley playing from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Bill Couto and the After Hours Band on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

As parking is limited in Mattapoisett Village, there will be shuttles from Ying Dynasty to Shipyard Park every 15 minutes during the day on Saturday and Sunday.

Proceeds from the event will go to Lions Club charities, local and international. Eye health is always a big focus for the group.

“We want to eradicate preventable blindness – that’s the mission of the Lions Club internationally,” DeCosta said.

Volunteers are always welcome. Call DeCosta at 508-415-7083 to help.

The complete Harbor Days events can be found at www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org.