PORTLAND – Thousands of people from across the region filled downtown Friday to salute soldiers, veterans, police and firefighters for what was billed as the largest-ever ticker-tape parade in Maine.

Some 40,000 hand-held U.S. flags were handed out for the “Maine Heroes Parade,” and businesses along the parade route were given more than a ton of shredded paper to shower on the procession in a festive display of patriotism.

In addition to honoring soldiers and veterans, many of the spectators were drawn by six New England Patriots players and team owner Robert Kraft, who appeared alongside soldiers and sailors with the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.

Harry Rogers, 79, of Portland spent 27 years in the Marines and served in World War II and the Vietnam War.

“I think it’s good to show support for the troops,” Rogers said along the Congress Street parade route. “We had so much stuff happen during Vietnam, with people demonstrating when we came back.”

He added, with a sheepish grin, “But I also want to see the Patriots.”

City spokesman Peter DeWitt put the crowd estimate at 30,000 for the parade and rally, which was focused first and foremost on honoring military heroes.

The procession, which lasted well over an hour, included members from the Army Reserve’s 94th Military Police Company, the National Guard’s 133rd Engineering Battalion and other units that served in Iraq. Six Mainers representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Maine National Guard rode on a firetruck with the New England Patriots players.

Organizers set up two jumbo-screen TVs – one 17 feet across, the other 27 feet across – used to let Maine soldiers in Iraq talk to the crowd by satellite. The video link failed but the spectators listened to the soldiers talk to family members on a stage.

Flyovers featured Navy P-3 Orion planes from Brunswick Naval Air Station, Army National Guard HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and a Coast Guard helicopter and Falcon jet. The parade lineup included law enforcement agencies, marching bands, color guards, floats, veterans groups, and Portland Pirates and University of Maine hockey players.

There were lots of Patriots caps and shirts, along with some Uncle Sam hats. People held up signs saying “Welcome Home Heroes” and “Welcome Back Patriots.”

Norman Lewis, his girlfriend, his son and his son’s friend arrived at 4:20 a.m. – more than 11 hours before the parade’s scheduled start – at Monument Square to ensure a front-row spot for the rally at the parade’s end point. Dressed in Patriots baseball caps and shirts, they left their hometown of Jay in western Maine at 2:30 a.m.

“Mostly it’s the Patriots. I’m a die-hard Patriots fan,” said Lewis, 39. “But we also get to see the military groups that help support us.”

Jim Keyser and his family, who live in Fryeburg, arrived at Monument Square at 8:30 a.m. He was all smiles with a red, white and blue Patriots stovepipe hat atop his head and a pole with a 3-by-5-foot Patriots flag in hand.

Keyser works with a couple of members of the 133rd Engineering Battalion, which returned home from Iraq last month.