MIDDLEBORO — Sirens wailed in celebration, candy flew through the air and watermelons were eaten at high speed during Middleboro’s Independence Day festivities.

On the morning of July 4, the North Middleboro Parade began at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Plymouth and Pleasant streets. Decorative floats, fire trucks — goats — and plenty of vintage cars and tractors made their way down Plymouth street with front lawns full of spectators lining the route.

Middleboro residents Robin Ashe and her son Ethan Ashe, 15, stood along Plymouth Street as the parade rolled by.

“The old-timey Ford car, where the lady was sitting in the trunk, was really cool,” Ethan said.

“We’ve been to the parade before, but not in a long time,” said Robin Ashe. “But it’s the same small-town kind of family fun.”

After the parade, the fun didn’t stop there. At the town’s Independence Day Carnival, a greasy pole contest and watermelon eating contest kicked off at Peirce Park.

At the park, a crowd formed around two poles buried into the ground next to the park’s basketball courts. Kids age 12 and under attempted to climb a wooden pole that was about nine feet high, and those age 12 and up competed on a roughly 12 foot pole.

Once the poles were greased with a heavy helping of Crisco, participants eagerly waited for the competition to start. Their goal: grab the small American Flag at the top.

Francis Cass, the park superintendent, called up participants and gave commentary for the many who tried to claw their way to the top of the pole.

Joe Fowler, 10, a Middleboro resident, has won the competition the last two years in a row. On Friday, Joe continued his streak with the help of some tested strategy — covering his hands and shirt with dirt to give him some friction on the slick wooden pole.

He said when he gets to the top, there’s only one thing on his mind. “I'm excited about the money,” Joe said, who won $80 for being the first and only to grab the flag atop the pole.

Jack Aucoin, 14, of Middleboro, won the greasy pole contest for youth ages 12 and up. He tried it last year, but didn’t make it to the coveted flag. This year, he walked away with $100 in his pocket for winning the contest.

“I kind of just wrapped my legs around the pole, and that's what helps. I made sure to take it one step at a time, and focus on my grip and then push up,” Jack said. “So when I did that one at a time, I could slowly make small progress.”

After the greasy pole contest, the crowd moved over to tables full of watermelon pieces for the classic eating contest. Contestants of all ages scoured the watermelon as fast as possible to win a $10 roll of quarters.

By the end of it, a smiling crowd of families and residents began walking down to the carnival ticket station to finish out the afternoon with rides and games.

The Independence Day carnival is located at 26 Jackson St., and will run until Sunday, July 6. A wristband pass is required for entry to the carnival.

A standard wristband costs $35 and allows for four hours of entry. For those looking to stay longer, a super wristband is available for $45, offering eight hours of access on Saturday, July 5, and nine hours on Sunday, July 6. Wristbands are valid for one day only.

Wristbands are not necessary for the firework show at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 5, at Battis Field.