Volunteers and community organizations in Salem are gearing up for the fifth annual Salemfest, featuring crafts, food and fun for the entire family.

The festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 and 21, starting at 9 a.m. Most of the events wrap up in the afternoon.

The weekend event evolved from the St. David’s Craft fair, which organizer Betty Gay said was moved from around Christmas time to autumn the year before the first Salemfest, as we know it now, occurred.

“The first fair we have (in the fall) in the middle of the fair, here comes dogs down the street wearing cute bandanas,” said Gay.

Salem’s Dogfest was happening on the same day as their craft fair. Also on the same day, Salemhaven was having their fall fair.

After speaking with the organizers of Dogfest and Salemhaven, as well as other community organizations and the library, Gay said they were able to coordinate to have all of those things happen on the same day.

“So it has grown, and each year we have a couple of new groups,” Gay said.

The weekend long event is a cooperation of volunteers, businesses and organizations across town, including the Kelley and Alice Hall libraries, the Ingram Center, the Boys & Girls Club, Salem Senior Services, Salemhaven, and the town’s churches.

One of the main events is the Greater Salem Caregivers Vincent Swanson Walk-athon, which starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Boys & Girls Club at 3 Geremonty Drive. For the past several years, Salemfest has been plagued by bad weather for the event.

“We’ve been deluged with rain the last three years on Saturday,” Gay said. This year, however, weather reports indicate sun and mild temperatures for the whole weekend.

The Civil War Living Historians will be demonstrating the life of a Union soldier on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn of the Old Town Hall at the corner Bridge and Main streets. The group will also provide pony rides for children from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday on the Town Common.

Kelley Library is holding a used book and media sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one of the more popular events of the weekend, Gay said. For a dollar, you can have anything you can fit in one bag.

Most of the free children’s events are clustered around Kelley Library and the Boys & Girls Club, including face painting, a bounce house, games and contests.

A kids’ parade, for children up to age 12, walking with decorated doll carriages, bikes, trikes, wagons, costumes and teddy bears will take place at 11 a.m. at the Town Common. There will be ribbons for all who participate, and the parade will be televised on Channel 17.

Tours of some of Salem’s historical buildings will be held on both days, including the old town hall, Alice Hall Memorial Library and School House No. 5, all near the intersection of School and Main streets.

Greystone Farm, an assisted- living facility, will hold its annual Chowderfest and Apple-licious Bake Sale on the grounds at 242 Main St. Each year, the residents at Greystone choose a charity to raise money for and bake the goods themselves to sell.