FARMINGTON – People across Franklin County gathered in Farmington on Saturday as part of the town’s annual Chester Greenwood Day.

Chester Greenwood Day is held by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce on the first Saturday of every December.

Greenwood was a Farmington native who is known for inventing earmuffs back in 1873 at the age of 15 out of wire, beaver fur and cloth. At 19, he acquired a United States patent and was shipping earmuffs worldwide by the age of 28.

In 1936, his company, Greenwood and Company, had its biggest year producing more than 400,000 pairs of earmuffs.

This year’s events featured craft fairs, a Winter Festival and the annual parade.

The town’s annual Polar Bear Dip took place at Clearwater Lake late Saturday afternoon. Contestants would put as much of their body as they could into the frigid water.

This is the 48th year Franklin County Chamber of Commerce has held Chester Greenwood Day.