Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park was packed with local residents seeking out famous strawberry shortcake and a seafood roll and clam chowder dinner. In July, this can only mean one thing – Harbor Days have returned.

The 26th annual summer celebration hosted by the Lions Club kicked off a weekend of festivities on Friday, July 20, with the seafood and clam chowder dinner.

“This is without a doubt our biggest project, our biggest fundraiser,” said Lions Club member Tim Ray. “A lot of planning goes into it. We usually start in January.”

A Lions Club member for the past 18 years, Ray said a planning committee makes sure that every detail is accounted for with the three-day event.

This includes ensuring that the club’s famous strawberry shortcake is prepared and ready to go for the weekend. To do so, the group spends hours chopping more than 130 lbs. of strawberries.

“This is the one event that gets the greatest participation from the club members,” said club member Jim Hubbard.

A member since 1981, Hubbard said that dozens of volunteers are needed to work the event given its popularity over the years and the increasing number of guests.

All of the funds raised over the weekend go towards various Lions Club charities, including eye care research, scholarships for local students, the Scouts as well as the Police and Fire Departments.

Besides the Friday night’s dinner, other staples of the event include a lobster dinner on Saturday night and a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning.

Most of the events have been the same over the years, although Hubbard recalled one year when the Lions Club placed a grease pole by the water and another year when the group had a dunk tank.

“Of course the kids really wanted to dunk the person,” he said.

While not much else has changed over the last 26 years, Ray said it is these staples that continue to bring in the crowds.

“People look forward to it because they look forward to the lobster dinner on Saturday and the pancake breakfast on Sunday. It’s been very, very popular,” Ray said.

Be sure to check back in over the weekend as we add updates, more photos and fun facts from Harbor Days 2012!