Summer Festivals in the MidCoast!
Midsummer in the MidCoast includes outdoor festivals, live music, and good vibes. Sailing regattas, food fests, art walks, farmers’ markets – the calendar fills up fast. Here are a few we wouldn’t miss.
Windjammer Days – Boothbay Harbor
June 21-27
Summer unofficially kicks off with a weeklong celebration of Boothbay’s seafaring roots. The windjammer parade under full sail is a majestic sight, and after dark, the ‘Harbor Aglow’ boat parade is just as memorable, followed by another parade of beautiful vintage boats the next evening. Colorful street parade, tug-of-war, fireworks over the water, and a truly fishy Codfish Relay Race are part of the harbor festivities. This year, Windjammer Days also marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy with special events.
North Atlantic Blues Festival – Rockland
July 11-12
Two days of world-class blues on Rockland’s waterfront – one of the East Coast’s most anticipated festivals draws fans by the thousands. The lineup leans into authentic blues with touches of soul, jazz, and rock. Stick around Saturday night for the club crawl, when Main Street turns into one big blues block party. This year’s headliners include John Primer, Room Full of Blues, and Eliza Neals.
Camden Classics Cup – Camden
July 23-25
One of the world’s most beautiful regattas, the Camden Classics Cup brings together more than ninety sailing vessels – vintage classics and modern racers alike – capped by Saturday’s Parade of Sail around Camden’s inner harbor. You can watch from just about anywhere along the wharves. This event marks its 10th anniversary, with spectacular sloops and yachts gathering at the harbor and the historic Lyman-Morse boatyard.
Maine Lobster Festival – Rockland
July 29-Aug. 2
The 78th annual Lobster Festival is five days of full-on coastal celebration. What started as a small local event in 1947 has become one of Maine’s most famous summer festivals. You can indulge in lobster rolls, bisque, lobster mac and cheese, and, of course, steamed lobster. There’s live music daily, seafood cooking contests, parades, carnival rides, arts and crafts, and the can’t-miss International Great International Lobster Crate Races out on the water.
Friendship Sloop Days – Rockland
July 16-18
Classic gaff-rigged Friendship sloops have worked Maine’s coast for more than a century. Several hundred are still sailing today, including the oldest original boat, built in 1899. For three days, you can watch racing regattas and visit sloops in Rockland Harbor. On the final day, the Parade of Sloops glides past the dramatic Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Walk the mile-long breakwater for the best seat in the harbor and unforgettable videos.
Maine Celtic Celebration – Belfast
July 17-19
The traditions and tunes of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and Cornwall take over Belfast’s waterfront for the 20th annual Celtic celebration. Forsyth, Diarmuid Meachair, and the Napper Tandies headline the main stage, with a lineup of family-friendly events: the Highland Heavy Games, the U.S. Championship Cheese Roll, and the Celtic Dog Show.
Maine Wild Blueberry Festival at the Union Fair – Union
August 5-9
Who bakes the best blueberry pie in Maine? Pull up a chair and watch as the judges award the coveted title. Then catch the kids’ pie-eating contest and wander over to Blueberry Acres, where you can browse blueberry everything and sample a free wild blueberry dessert. The Union Fair itself is a classic country fair with carnival rides, music, livestock exhibits, and yes, a demo derby!
Belfast Harbor Fest – Belfast
August 7-9
A festive weekend honoring the boats and people who love them, Belfast Harbor Fest comes alive at Steamboat Landing and Commercial Park along the waterfront. Watch a boat-building competition, take in a classic boat show, and cheer on the wildly popular Cardboard Boat Challenge. There’s also music, kids’ activities, arts and crafts fairs, shipyard tours, and the 5K Bug Run/Walk. Insider tip: in Maine, lobsters are called bugs—and instead of a gold medal, the winner takes home 10 pounds of them.
Camden Windjammer Festival – Camden Public Landing
September 4-5
Every Labor Day weekend, Camden welcomes the windjammer fleet, and hundreds of graceful coastal schooners line the waterfront for three days. There’s a Schooner Talent Show, the Bay Winds Ensemble at Harbor Park, Friday night fireworks, a pancake breakfast and chowder challenge, the Lobster Crate Race, the swashbuckling Pirates of the Dark Rose, the First Fish Relay Race, the Schooner Open House, and yes, a Nautical Dog Show.
Sheepscot General Store “Summer Music Series” – Whitefield
Every Friday in Summer 6-8:00 pm
Tucked away on a country road, Sheepscot General hosts free live music Friday through late September. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the store is the busiest place for miles around. It’s a food market, an order-ahead café, and a bakery, and it showcases locally made crafts. This summer’s lineup includes Moontide, 40 Thieves, The Leopard Girls, Magic 8 Ball, and Sigrid Sibley.
