Top 20 2013 Maine Summer Events
Call ahead to confirm dates, times, and admission prices. For hundreds of fairs, festivals, exhibits, shows, and other fun activities, go to: YankeeMagazine.com/events MAY 14-16: FRYEBURG, Northern New England Home, Garden, and Flower Show. The Fryeburg Fairgrounds fills with more than 250 exhibitors of indoor home and garden products. Find popular and rare perennials, annuals, […]
By Yankee Magazine|Apr 20 2010|
Call ahead to confirm dates, times, and admission prices. For hundreds of fairs, festivals, exhibits, shows, and other fun activities, go to: YankeeMagazine.com/events
MAY 14-16: FRYEBURG, Northern New England Home, Garden, and Flower Show. The Fryeburg Fairgrounds fills with more than 250 exhibitors of indoor home and garden products. Find popular and rare perennials, annuals, veggie seedlings, and shrubs at the Garden Marketplace. Don’t miss the “Meet the Chefs” cooking series, featuring chefs from 4- and 5-star restaurants sharing their culinary secrets. 800-359-2033; homegardenflowershow.com
MAY 28-31: BARING/TRESCOTT, Down East Spring Birding Festival. Atlantic puffins and more than 150 different bird species draw visitors to Maine’s Cobscook Bay area during this spring migration and nesting season. Self-guided explorations, guided hikes, boat tours, and presentations led by area experts. 207-733-2233; thecclc.org, downeastbirdfest.org
JUNE 12: MACHIAS, Margaretta Days Festival. Commemorate the first naval battle of the American Revolution on the green at the University of Maine at Machias with period games, music, storytelling, and a mock skirmish. Converse with re-enactors at a Colonial encampment, and be sure to don some of your own period attire. 207-255-4402; margarettadays.com
JUNE 18-20: DEER ISLE/STONINGTON, Lupine Festival. One of our most picturesque blooms receives its own much-anticipated celebration with concerts, an art and sculpture show, craft fair, garden tour, boat excursions, plane rides, quilt show, movies, and much more, all across both parts of the island. 207-348-6124; deerislemaine.com
JUNE 22-23: BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Windjammer Days. Fully rigged ships, including American Eagle, Heritage, Lazy Jack, and Eastwind, sail into the harbor each day. Bring the family to pancake breakfasts, waterfront concerts, fireworks over the harbor, tours of Navy vessels and a Coast Guard station, an antique boat parade, and more. 207-633-2353; boothbayharbor.com
JULY 9-11: LISBON, Moxie Festival. The official Maine soft drink has a celebration all its own: parade, canoe race, powwow, 5K road race, clambake, fireworks, carnival, and plenty of Moxie memorabilia and collectibles all across town. 207-353-2289; moxiefestival.com
JULY 9-18: WATERVILLE, Maine International Film Festival. Presenting the best independent, international, and Maine-made cinema. Screenings and events at Railroad Square Cinema and Waterville Opera House. 207-861-8138; miff.org
JULY 10-11: BELFAST, Arts in the Park. One of Midcoast Maine’s most popular festivals, with 80 fine artists and crafters set up inside Heritage Park on Belfast’s waterfront. Continuous live music both days and a variety of delicious food add to the festive atmosphere. 207-338-5900; artsintheparkbelfast.org
JULY 15: CAMDEN/ROCKPORT, Camden Garden Club House and Garden Tour. Stroll through fine homes and this year enjoy the first-ever decorator show house. Professional designers from near and far will transform a historic home and guest cottage on High Street in Camden. Preview Party, Twilight Tours, and other festivities. 207-236-8946; camdengardenclub.com
JULY 16-18: BELFAST, Maine Celtic Celebration. Belfast’s waterfront buzzes with traditional Celtic activities, including highland games, accordion workshop, live music, Irish and Scottish genealogy, ceili dance, “Men in Kilts” contest, and much more. 207-338-2692; mainecelticcelebration.com
JULY 16-18: YARMOUTH, Yarmouth Clam Festival. More than 100,000 visitors come together at Memorial Green and townwide to celebrate a delicious and vast array of food, an entertaining themed parade, clam-shucking contests, firefighters’ muster, live music, and fireworks spectacle, plus road, kayak, and bicycle races and much more. 207-846-3984; clamfestival.com
JULY 30-AUG. 8: BANGOR, Bangor State Fair. A variety of entertainment arrives at the Bangor State Fairgrounds, with children’s shows, concerts, animal exhibits, a carnival midway, and the tastiest of fair food. 207-947-5555; bangorstatefair.com
JULY 31-AUG. 1: EAST BOOTHBAY, Boat Builders Festival. Shipbuilders Park/Ocean Point Marina is the place to be for all things nautical, with a two-day art show and sale opening on Saturday. Working and pleasure vessels open to visitors on Sunday; plus lectures, demonstrations, and a seafood feast. 207-633-4818; bbrlt.org
AUG. 4-8: ROCKLAND, Maine Lobster Festival. First, head to Harbor Park’s “Maine Eating” tent to have your fill of delicious lobster and, of course, gorgeous views of Penobscot Bay. Then amble through maritime displays and demonstrations, browse arts and crafts vendors, take a harbor cruise, and listen to live entertainment. 800-562-2529, 207-596-0376; mainelobsterfestival.com
AUG. 12-21: PORTLAND, Portland Chamber Music Festival. Featuring 20 dynamic performers, the repertoire includes traditional and contemporary works performed at Abromson Community Education Center at the University of Southern Maine campus. 800-320-0257; pcmf.org
AUG. 13-15: ROCKLAND, Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show. The state’s only in-water boat and home show, presented at Buoy and Harbor parks, will feature Maine’s finest artists, architects, boatbuilders, craftsmen, designers, furniture makers, marine-gear vendors, musicians, and more. Don’t miss the model yacht pond, live music, marine activities area, food, and–great fun for the entire family–the running of the “World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials” on Sunday. 800-565-4951, 207-594-8622; maineboats.com
AUG. 13-15: UNION, Maine Antiques Festival. Indoor and outdoor displays cover Union Fairgrounds at Maine’s largest antiques show. Dealers from across the U.S. and Canada offer a range of pieces, from formal to folk. 207-563-1013, 207-221-3108; maineantiquefest.com
AUG. 20-22: LEWISTON, Great Falls Balloon Festival. More than 40 hot-air balloons take flight over the town at dawn and dusk, while “Moon Glows”–balloons tethered and lit with propane–are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings at Simard-Payne Memorial Park. Other festivities include food, live music, a carnival, crafts, and fireworks. Reservations and an hourly fee are required for all balloon rides. 800-639-6331, 207-783-2249; greatfallsballoonfestival.org
AUG. 20-22: MACHIAS, Wild Blueberry Festival. Meet more than 250 crafters and fine artists, plus enjoy foot races, baking and pie-eating contests, a “Blueberry Musical Comedy,” blueberry pancake breakfast, historical and cultural exhibits, and two food courts. 207-255-4402; machiasblueberry.com
AUG. 26-29: LITCHFIELD, Blistered Fingers Annual Family Bluegrass Music Festival. More than a dozen bands and performers from Canada and the U.S., including festival hosts Blistered Fingers, fill the Litchfield Fairgrounds for four days of fun family entertainment. 207-873-6539; blisteredfingers.com
