This summer, after nearly three years of absence due to the COVID pandemic, Maine’s maritime festivals return to the delight of summer visitors and residents alike. The many events showcase the state’s traditional and contemporary connections to the Gulf of Maine and to its rich and diverse resources. We highlight here just a few of the festivals coming up during the summer months.
Launch!
Launch! A Maritime Festival will feature fresh local seafood, nautical history, and an array of events at locations throughout Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel from June 15 to 19. Organized by the Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel Chamber of Commerce, a portion of the proceeds raised during a “Claws for a Cause” event on the Kennebunk Green on Saturday, June 18th will be donated to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association’s “Save Maine Lobstermen” campaign. https://gokennebunks.com/launch/
The Maine Oyster Festival
The Maine Oyster Festival will take place in Freeport on June 24 to 26. The festival showcases the thriving oyster aquaculture industry in the state, which includes more than 150 oyster farms operating from Downeast Maine to Ogunquit. The Maine Oyster Festival will be the first oyster festival in Maine celebrating oysters and the people who farm them, according to the festival web site. During the two-day event, dozens of oyster growers will be shucking and serving oysters while a group of industry experts will be blind-tasting oysters and awarding an Oyster of the Year Award. There will be oyster shucking competitions and tours of local oyster farms leaving from South Freeport. Children can enjoy hands-on crafts and educational activities related to the marine environment. And there will be oyster cooking demonstrations by Maine chefs to tempt the novice and expert alike. In the evening there will be live music, craft beer and other beverages, and food. https://www.visitfreeport.com/themaineoysterfestival
Windjammer Days
Boothbay Harbor’s 60th Annual Windjammer Days happens from June 26 to July 2. The festival is organized by Friends of Windjammers, a nonprofit community organization of volunteers. It will feature an antique boat parade and pier party, boat tours with local companies, sailboat races for children and adults, a crab cake cook-off, and more. The traditional Blessing of the Fishing Fleet takes place on Sunday, June 26, at 1:30 p.m. after the outdoor memorial service at Fisherman’s Memorial Park. This year shipwright Ross Branch will give a talk at 4 p.m. on June 28 on the fishing vessel. She was built in 1894 and carried fishermen to the Grand Banks, Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland for many decades. She is currently being restored at Bristol Marine. https://www.boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org
Yarmouth Clam Festival
The 55th annual Yarmouth Clam Festival returns from July 15-17 with a parade, classic car show, and the ever-popular clam shucking contest. There will be a craft show, carnival, more than 40 live musical acts, a pie eating contest, a kid’s fun run, a firefighter’s competition, K9 demonstration, professional bike race and fireworks. Organized by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce, the festival usually draws over 100,000 people from throughout the country and Maine, many of whom come to eat. The festival food booths are all run by Yarmouth-based, non-profit organizations which typically serve more than 6,000 pounds of clams, 6,000 lobster rolls, 2,500 pancake breakfasts, 2,000 shore dinners, 400 homemade pies, and 6,000 strawberry shortcakes. The proceeds of the festival support local nonprofits that include Yarmouth Scouts, Royal River Chorus and the Yarmouth Lions Club. www.clamfestival.com
Maine Lobster Festival
The 75th Maine Lobster Festival returns to Rockland this summer. It runs from August 3 to August 7 and, this year, admission is free! The Maine Lobster Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Rockland each summer to enjoy lobster dinners, renowned entertainers, and Maine crafts and art. The lobster cooking contest returns as does the Maine Sea Goddess contest and Great International Lobster Crate Race. While there will be no carnival this year, the festival has added two large playsets for children, a larger tent for children’s activities, a rock climbing wall and an arcade. To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the festival has created its own cookbook featuring lobster or other local Maine ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables and fruits, which will be on sale throughout the event. www.mainelobsterfestival.com
Winter Harbor Lobster Festival
Winter Harbor Lobster Festival, Craft Fair, and Boat Races are scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 13. The Winter Harbor Lobster Festival includes an all day lobster extravaganza with food, crafts, and the famous lobster boat races. https://schoodicchamber.com/craft-fair-boat-races
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