WATERVILLE — Hundreds of firefighters from across Maine filled downtown Waterville throughout this weekend for the 60th Maine State Federation of Firefighters convention, more than a decade after the last time the city hosted the annual event.

“Firefighters, in general, we work well together,” said Dan Mayotte, the convention chairman. “But it’s also nice to not work under pressure and socialize. So, we get the chance to hang out with people from Dexter, Presque Isle, and Wells, Maine — wherever. All across the state, everyone gets the chance to come together and celebrate Maine firefighters.”

About 250 firefighters registered to attend the state federation’s convention, which began Thursday night and ends Sunday morning, said Mayotte, a firefighter and paramedic with the Waterville Fire Department.

The convention likely also drew hundreds more to the city, Mayotte said, when accounting for their families, those who came to compete in a firemen’s muster, and others dropping by to check it out.

The convention moves around the state each year. Mayotte said 2011 was the last time Waterville hosted the convention, and three years ago, the city entered to host it again. It heads next year to Fryeburg, and then the following year to Skowhegan, he said.

Head of Falls off Front Street served as the main hub of the convention, where vendors selling firefighting equipment and other goods were set up throughout the weekend.

The weekend’s events kicked off Thursday night and Friday with federation business and live entertainment. A parade Saturday morning down College Avenue to Head of Falls drew dozens of people to watch an hourlong stream of musicians, antiques, and of course, many, many fire trucks.

The parade, which was broken up by Maine’s 16 counties, had nearly 100 registrants, Mayotte said. Fire departments represented included Waterville, New Sharon, Carrabassett Valley, Jay, Presque Isle, Albion, Augusta, Vassalboro, Winslow, Clinton, Frankfort, Wells, York, Smithfield, Anson, Fairfield, Madison, Skowhegan, Dover-Foxcroft, Dexter, and Mechanic Falls.

“We have all corners of the state covered,” Mayotte said of the convention’s attendees.

Saturday afternoon featured a fireman’s muster on a closed-down Main Street in downtown Waterville.

The New England States Veteran Fireman’s League brought nine teams to compete in a contest using hand tubs — large, man-powered pumps that were used to fight fires in the early days of the fire service, long before modern-day firetrucks.

“We were able to talk them into coming and competing here in Waterville to be part of this convention,” Mayotte said. “It is by far my favorite part.”

The teams from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut in the competition took turns pumping the antique machines, blasting water down Main Street.

“These were real firefighting engines back in the day,” said John Nibarger of West Bath, one of the event’s organizers.

The goal, essentially, is to shoot the water the farthest distance, according to Nibarger, who is also a member of two of the competing teams from Bath and a past president of the fireman’s league.

“It’s a pissing contest, really,” Nibarger said.

Each team had 15 minutes to take as many attempts as possible. Any number of people could help pump. Some crews had more than a dozen furiously working on either side of their hand tub.

Most distances achieved Saturday were just under 200 feet; Nibarger said the record distance he has seen is 289 feet. Key factors include the number of people in the crew, the wind conditions and the machine itself, he said.

Some members of the teams are firefighters, Nibarger said. Others just simply enjoy the sport.

A muster — which some have dubbed America’s oldest organized sport — was first held July 4, 1849, in Bath, Nibarger said.

The hand tub machines used in Saturday’s muster all date back to the 19th century, with the oldest from 1828, according to a scorecard for the event.

“Actually, it’s a pretty simple machine,” said Nibarger, while explaining what it takes to keep a nearly 200-year-old hand tub operational year after year. “But pretty complex.”

The muster, featuring the antique apparatuses, was to be followed by a modern-day equivalent, Mayotte said while watching the event. In that competition, teams were expected to compete in two events with hoses, a water battle and a mystery event.

The convention is scheduled to then wrap up Sunday morning with a sendoff breakfast, keynote address and awards ceremony.

Mayotte said he was glad this year that all the events were within walking distance of each other, unlike in 2011, the last time Waterville hosted the convention, which was before the revitalization of the downtown area.

“Graciously, with the Main Street businesses, we were able to bring it right down here on Main Street,” Mayotte said of Saturday afternoon’s events, “which is a beautiful location to do this.”