Building upon the success of the inaugural “Music, Masts & Lobster Traps” last year, the Maine Lobster Community Alliance (MLCA) is excited to announce the second annual celebration of Maine’s lobstering and waterfront heritage will take place on Sunday, August 25. This year, the festival is moving from Bath to the grounds of the Boothbay Railway Village Museum and will feature performances from award winning folksinger-songwriter, Paddy Mills, the darkly inventive rock duo Muddy Ruckus, and returning once again, the Maine-based alt-country/Americana/rock band The Mallett Brothers Band.
At last year's concert the Mallett Brothers Band was joined by none other than Dave Mallett. MLA photo.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the MLCA which, with support from the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA), is working to ensure a vibrant future for Maine’s fishing families and the communities in which they live and work.
“From the minute the gates opened on last year’s event at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, we knew we had created what will become one of Maine’s premiere summertime concert festivals,” said Kevin Kelley, director of advancement for the MLCA. “We’re excited to be bringing this year’s festival to the Boothbay peninsula and truly celebrate the heritage that makes our fishing communities so special. The Boothbay region has welcomed us with open arms, and we’re delighted to be working together with the folks at the Railway Village Museum, who are equally excited to host us as they celebrate their 60th anniversary.”
Jesse Roche, a commercial fisherman who splits his time between the waters of Maine and Alaska, led the effort to create Music, Masts & Lobster Traps. He says he was inspired to create an event that gives back to the community and educates those outside the industry about the importance of maintaining our working waterfronts.
“Muddy Ruckus will join Paddy Mills and The Mallett Brothers Band in our music lineup this year. Mere Point Oyster Company will shuck with us again, along with Shannon’s Unshelled, which offers many food choices. Many of the same exhibitors and some new ones, like Greencrab.org, will show guests how they can contribute to the effort against green crabs. Also, the podcast Galley Stories is recording an episode. The podcast is a great way to hear how we live in the ocean, with interviews ranging from Sig Hansen to Dave Marciano. I’m looking forward to a great second year for us,” Roche shared.
The Boothbay Railway Village Museum will be open for business as usual from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 25. Visitors who purchase admission tickets to the Railway Village will have access to special maritime activities taking place throughout the day including book signings, special talks, and demonstrations.
At 2 p.m., gates to the concert event will open. Tickets to the concert festival are $30 and are sold separately. Guests with tickets to the concert event will also have access to a beer garden hosted by Mast Landing Brewing Co., Mere Point Oyster Co. will be shucking flavorful Maine oysters, and this year Shannon’s Unshelled will be serving up delicious, affordable seafood.
The Railway Village Museum is located on Route 27 in Boothbay. The museum's mission is to conserve, display and interpret artifacts, authentic period structures and technologies used in Maine during the historical period of the mid-19th through the mid-20th centuries.